Seriki Adinoyi in Jos
The Plateau State Government has said it has sacked 579 of its civil servants from January to December 2016 for various offences ranging from “over-age, absence in MDA’s staff list, no or incorrect details details/records, and have reached terminal point,” adding that among these sacked workers, 101 have been mandated to refund the state a sum amounting to N76,967,568.96.
The state also revealed that it has commenced the payment of backlog of about four months outstanding salaries to its workers at the state and local governments, and eight months pension arrears to its pensioners, adding that “all things being equal, the era of arrears is over.”
Revealing this in her office on Tuesday evening, the state Commissioner for Finance, Mrs. Tamwakat Weli, who noted that the decision followed the receipt of part of the foreign loan (Paris and London Club) over deduction refunded to the affected states, adding that “the expected refunds that were due to Plateau and its 17 local government areas were $89.7 million and $59.7 million respectively.
She said, “Of the expected total refunds, only 25 per cent of the amount has so far been release to the state in the sum of $37.3 million which translates to N10,497,000,000.00 for both the state and 17 LGAs.”
Weli noted that by December 30, government would save the sum of N68,554,694.27 monthly, which translates to N822,656,331.24 per annum.
Imploring all stakeholders to support the government of Governor Simon Lalong, Weli said the administration was committed to enhancing the quality of life of all citizens of the state. She added that the government was doing everything to tackle the global economic recession through investment in enabling infrastructure and reforms in the ease of doing business which will spur growth and development, focusing on Agriculture, solid minerals, and tourism as avenues to boost the economy of the state and create jobs to the state’s teaming youths.
She however failed to adequately explain why the state engages consultants to do the same jobs that the state’s civil servants could do, simply saying “the consultants will not stay for too long; very soon they will go.”
