Hundreds of civil servants in the local government are grumbling over the rumour being circulated around on deductions from their July salaries.
Yobe workers who were stunned to discover that parts of their salaries had been slashed below what they use to earn monthly said the deduction would affect their legitimate means of livelihood.
Some of the concerned workers from the three senatorial zones of the state who spoke on the condition of anonymity revealed that “even though we are yet to be paid our July salaries but the document shows that the salary wage bill has been tempered with deductions.
“You know Local Government salaries goes to four components of the mainstream, health workers CONHESS, Local Education Authority for the Teachers, Veterinary clinic staff and pensions.”
A GL 07 senior staff of the veterinary in one of the local government areas revealed that he has been working for 32 years and receiving N60,000 monthly payment but now brought to N35,000 “how can I cope with the present situation where a bag of maize sells for N25,000.”
Another local government worker said that his present salary doesn’t meet up with his demands talkless of being slashed.
When contacted, the Chairman Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Yobe State chapter Bashehu Mustapha said that “we need to commend Yobe State government because base on salaries, most of the states in the federation don’t even pay their workers salaries monthly and this thing you are talking about is a temporary thing because of the economic situation, whenever it improves, it will be reverted back”. He added that the union is part of the decision committee and is concerned about the plight of its members.
Responding, the Yobe State Ministry for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs who spoke through the Public Relations Officer (PRO), Alhassan Sule Mamudo explained that it is a unanimous decision taken along with all the local government stakeholders to sort out and enable the real professional workers to enjoy the CONHESS, TSS and Agric Engineers “this is because there is misplacement where a messenger is enjoying the salary of a professional staff without the requisite professional qualifications.
“The Yobe State government under Governor Mai Mala Buni is much concerned about the welfare of its workers, that is why salaries are paid monthly unlike some states that find it difficult to pay salaries. Can you imagine that 90 per cent of the local government allocation goes to the payment of salaries? We’re trying and people should appreciate us”.
