THESHIELD Garkuwa
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By Suleiman Adamu, Sokoto
A coalition of Sokoto state civil servants being owed two months salaries have sought for fervent prayers of people of the state for the state government to as a matter of urgency pay their entitlements.
The coalition explained that with the exception of those on levels 03 to 07, others numbering over 10,000 mostly from level 08 and above, have not been paid their salaries for the months of February and March as at last Monday.
Reacting on Tuesday to a recent statement by the state Commissioner of Information, Akibu Dalhatu claiming the state government was not owing workers any outstanding salaries, the coalition which comprised of affected civil servants across Ministries, institutions, agencies and parastatals led by Ibrahim Musa of the SSCOE, Sokoto said it was false.
” We are calling on His Excellency , Right Honourable Aminu Waziri Tambuwal to come to our aid and pay our February and March salaries. We also like to inform our father, His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto and all the elders in the state to assist is in their numerous ways to get our salaries paid”
According to him ” we have heard a lot of stories about our salaries but for a Commissioner to falsely misinform the citizens on a serious and important life saving issue like ” salary” we cannot condone”
Dismayed by Dalhatu’s statement, Musa said efforts were made through other sister union as ASUP with the knowledge of the state NLC chapter to get to the root of the issue at the state MoF but no fruitful results.
“Sincerely, the state NLC has been up and doing to ensure payment but to no avail.
” We are hearing all sort of stories e.g the State government saying that it was not it’s fault that it has released payments but workers should check with their banks and we approached the various banks and we’re told no salaries have been released.
” We went under ground to find out that it was not true. The issue is that the state government has no money that it was awaiting FAAC to drop. The question is that for which month? We know that February allocation had long been released only that of March.”
Hitherto, the coalition expressed concerns why as state government is difficult to device for itself means and ways to pay the salaries of its workforce .
” We are baffled over the strange but inhuman issue being experienced on salaries “, Musa wondered.
