Plateau: 4.6 Billion Naira Inherited Is For Salary And Pension Arrears – Usman
From Tongnaan Bawa, Jos
The Plateau State Commisioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Ephraim Usman said
his administration inherited 4.6 billion naira as salaries and pension arrears from the previous administration at various LGAs.
The Commissioner disclosed this while presenting his score card during a maiden 2024 ministerial press briefing organised by the Ministry of Information and Communication at the Joseph Gomwalk State Secretariat Jos,Tuesday.
He said this unfolded when he recently embarked on familiarization tour of the 17 LGAs in the state to inspect projects and ensure that they were efficiently utilizing their monthly allocations.
He explained that arrears of 1.7 billion naira meant for primary school teachers has been cleared by the Ministry.
Usman maintained that 1.2 billion naira out of the over 1.6 billion naira arrears of Local government staff has been paid. Adding that Out of the over 1 billion naira Local government pension arrears inherited and what is still outstanding is 300 million naira only.
The ministry along with the 17 LGAs and their Labour unions signed an agreement for the payment of wage award of #12000 each for three months to teachers, LGAs workers and pensioneers.
The Commissioner assured that efforts are being made to clear all the outstanding arrears of the Local Government Areas staff and their pensioneers within the next few months.
On security challenges in some parts of the state, he explained that the ministry in collaboration with ALGON Purchased 35 hillux vehicles for operation Rainbow to strengthen the security architecture at the grassroots level.
For cordial working relationship, Ephraim Usman stated that the ministry also paid 200 million naira inherited outstanding allocation to operation Rainbow.
To fill existing vacant stools of some traditional rulers, “The ministry effectively conducted the selection and coronation of the new Ngolong Ngas on first class status. And also performed the selection of the new Mou Youm of Garkawa on second class status. And his coronation will take place soon” Explained he.
To curtail duplication of important documents in the state, the ministry in conjunction with the 17 LGAs is working assiduously into the digitalization of indigene forms and marriage certificates with link to NIN.
The Commissioner while emphasizing on the need
to preserve cultural heritage of Plateau people said,
“The ministry in collaboration with all the 17 LGAs intend to have museum in all the 17 LGAs to preserve the cultural heritage of our people “
