The Kogi State Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs says it will from tomorrow begin a verification exercise of the nominal roll of workers in the twenty one local government areas of the state.
This verification exercise is to herald the payment of full salaries to workers at that level of government who hitherto had been receiving their salaries in percentages.
The Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affiars, Abubakar Sadiq Ainoko, stated this at a news briefing in Lokoja, disclosed that the measure followed the directives of the governor, Capt Idris Wada, that the october 2014 salaries to workers at the various local government councils be paid in full.
The Commissioner further explained that the verification which is not a screening of workers is aimed ascertaining the real workers of the various local government, would be handled by a team of officials, added that the exercise would help the ministry generate a new data that would enable it ascertain the staff strength of at the various councils.
Already a customize staff data form the Commissioner disclosed has been printed and distributed to all LGA’s for their staff, said seven teams consisting of accountants and administrators will move round the LGA’s to conduct physical verification of all staff and appointees on the payroll.
Each team according to the Commissioner will handle three LGA’s and are expected to complete their assignments within one week, after which the October salary would be paid.
The Commissioner who noted the delays the exercise may have caused to workers, pleaded with the workers to show more understanding and patience, as the decision he added would in the long run be in their interest.
While noting that measures have been put in place to deal with anyone who may want to influence or sabotage the efforts of any of the verification team, said security agents have been directed to deal ruthlessly according to the law those found wanting.
