January 28, (THEWILL) – The Nigerian Labour Congress, Sokoto State chapter, has promised to help the State Government fish out ghost workers in the state’s workforce.
The State chairman, Comrade Abdullahi Jungle, in an interview with journalists in Sokoto, said the move is necessary prior to the implementation of new minimum wage payment.
He noted that the state government has fulfilled its part by commencing the payment of N70,000 minimum wage in the state, while the union would help in identifying the genuine workers as beneficiaries.
The chairman, who is part of the verification committee set by the State government, said they are expected to verify no fewer than a thousand workers from the Ministry of Health.
“He revealed that those verified have since been paid with the new minimum scale while others are awaiting verification.
Lamenting on the number of ghost workers in the state, he said they are doing the needful to eliminate ghost workers from the state civil service.
“In the process of our verification, we have so far identified some ghost workers and done away with them and we will continue to try our best”
The Chairman, however, charged the civil servants to reciprocate the State Government’s gesture by redoubling their ability to the implementation of government’s programmes and policies, as well as adhering to the rules of their engagement.
According to him, the minimum wage payment which has commenced in the state is a giant strive that calls for acknowledgement.
“Our state is among the first or second phases of states to commence payment. As I’m talking to you, almost 28 states are still using the old salary structure”, Jungle said.
He also urged civil servants in the state to support the government to move the state forward regardless of political differences.
Tunde Omolehin is an award-winning Journalist with prose in investigative and storytelling that is connecting the dots between the under-reported communities and policymakers to ensure good governance and accountability.
