The Nasarawa State House of Assembly on Monday began a fresh probe of the state government over its handling of local government funds.
The state legislature, at its sitting yesterday passed a motion
directing a joint committee comprising four standing committees to
investigate funds going to local government councils from the state
government, and to also probe alleged payment of half salaries in the
months of May and August.
The enquiry is also aimed at ascertaining, among other things, whether SURE-P funds to local governments get to the councils.
The joint committee was instituted following a motion by Mohammed Baba Ibaku, in which he told the House that workers in Udege Development Area of Nasarawa Local Government Area, pleaded with him to intervene and get council authorities to pay their full salaries.
Ibaku asserted that it was confirmed that the allegation of payment of half salaries was true during his meeting with council authorities and the aggrieved workers.
Members took turns to fault the state government over alleged diversion of local government funds, with some of them recalling that lack of release of local government funds was one of the charges contained in the impeachment notice served on the governor earlier. At the end of the debate, the House decided to investigate the matter.
Meanwhile, workers in Dome Local Government Area of the state on Monday took to the streets to protest non-payment of their August salaries. They blocked the roads, chanting anti-government slogans.
When calm was later restored, the Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) Doma chapter, Aliyu Omadefu, addressed newsmen, where he explained that the matter was resolved after a brief meeting with the council authorities.
The NULGE Chairman, who said the council agreed to pay the workers next week, enjoined them to return to their duty posts.
Chairman of the council, Henry Omaku, who asserted that the salaries would be paid next week, alleged that the protest was politically motivated.
According to him, some politicians in the area “who are bent on tainting the administration of Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, induced the workers to protest.”
He blamed the inability of the council to pay last month salaries on declining revenue accruing to its purse from the federation account, in addition to an over-bloated population of staff under its payroll.
.The enquiry is also aimed at ascertaining, among other things, whether SURE-P funds to local governments get to the councils.
The joint committee was instituted following a motion by Mohammed Baba Ibaku, in which he told the House that workers in Udege Development Area of Nasarawa Local Government Area, pleaded with him to intervene and get council authorities to pay their full salaries.
Ibaku asserted that it was confirmed that the allegation of payment of half salaries was true during his meeting with council authorities and the aggrieved workers.
Members took turns to fault the state government over alleged diversion of local government funds, with some of them recalling that lack of release of local government funds was one of the charges contained in the impeachment notice served on the governor earlier. At the end of the debate, the House decided to investigate the matter.
Meanwhile, workers in Dome Local Government Area of the state on Monday took to the streets to protest non-payment of their August salaries. They blocked the roads, chanting anti-government slogans.
When calm was later restored, the Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) Doma chapter, Aliyu Omadefu, addressed newsmen, where he explained that the matter was resolved after a brief meeting with the council authorities.
The NULGE Chairman, who said the council agreed to pay the workers next week, enjoined them to return to their duty posts.
Chairman of the council, Henry Omaku, who asserted that the salaries would be paid next week, alleged that the protest was politically motivated.
According to him, some politicians in the area “who are bent on tainting the administration of Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, induced the workers to protest.”
He blamed the inability of the council to pay last month salaries on declining revenue accruing to its purse from the federation account, in addition to an over-bloated population of staff under its payroll.
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