Disregard mischief makers, Kogi not owing workers –Gov Bello

Kogi State government has denied allegation that it is yet to pay workers’ salaries of some months and claimed that, instead it has paid up to March 2017.

It said it was based on this issue that the state government decided to publish details of salaries paid to each public servant since the inception of the present administration on January 27, 2016.

This was disclosed to newsmen in the state capital Lokoja by the director general on media and publicity to Governor Yahaya Bello, Kingsley Fanwo.

He said, “The governor does not owe workers who have been verified to be genuine and consequently cleared.”

According to Fanwo, the outcry over non-payment was coming from “fraudulent beneficiaries of the ghost workers syndrome who have been cut off the system.”

He claimed that Governor Bello did not only clear the arrears he met at inception, but has been up to date with salaries.

“It is unfortunate that mischief makers have been brandishing fake news about Kogi State as regards payment of salaries. Kogi State government has paid up to March 2017. Those we owe now are those who recently scaled the hurdle of appeals made possible by the governor. The governor just received the report on Monday April, 24 and efforts are in top gear to pay those who have just been cleared.

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“We have given our reports to the public. Kogi expended over 41billion naira on salaries between January 2016 and March 2017. We have published all our payments to civil servants on our website, Kogistate.gov.ng. We won’t be bothered by blackmail because we know where they are coming from,” he said.

Commenting on the allegations of students’ brutalisation and non-payment of salaries leveled against the government by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, Fanwo said it is imperative for the labour leader to seek for facts from all stakeholders before making “sweeping statements” against the state.

“The position of the NLC national president is exalted and revered. Whatever comes out of that office must be credible and reliable. Nigerians want to be able to take his statements as verified facts. The Government of Kogi State respects the person and position of Mr. Wabba. But, we wish to advise him to stop misleading Nigerians about Kogi where he seems to have a vested interest,” he said.

 

 

 

 

 

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