PDP Condemns Deduction of Bauchi Workers’ Salaries

By Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi
The Bauchi State chapter of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned the deductions of workers’ salaries by the state government which was effected in May 2018.
Speaking with reporters Tuesday, the state PDP Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Yayanuwa Zainabari, said the action of the government was unfair, adding that it would inflict hardship on the civil servants.
Zainabari alleged that the government had no justification for the action, lamenting that “if it cannot employ more staff, it should not persecute the existing ones”.
“During the PDP reign, we didn’t only increase the salaries of civil servants in the state, but we employed more workers. If the incumbent governor says he doesn’t have money to pay workers, we will ask him, from where did we get funds to pay and recruit more workers?” He queried.
The PDP spokesperson therefore urged citizens in the state to exercise patience and vote for the party at the 2019 governorship election in the state.
However, reacting to the development on Monday while addressing journalists, the state Head of Civil Service, Alhaji Liman Bello, had given reason why May 2018 salaries of some workers were deducted and others withheld in the state.
Represented by his Director of Establishment and SERVICOM Matters, Alhaji Isiyaka Tijjani, the head of service explained that the development was as a result of the new policy introduced by the state government where biometric data of civil servants were captured to ensure accountability and efficiency in the service.
According to him, the state had after the biometric discovered that there were many staff who overstayed in the service and or reached retirement age but remained in the government payroll.
He said such workers have their salaries withheld, adding that 800 others that bank with Stanbic IBTC Bank did not also receive their May 2018 salaries due to problems on the side of the bank.
He however attributed the deductions in workers’ allowances to technical hitches, assuring them that all genuine allowances would be restored to deserving staff.

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