I have not sacked any worker ― Kwara governor

GOVERNOR Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq of Kwara State has said that his new administration has not sacked any civil servant in the state.

It is recalled that there had been speculation in the state over nonpayment of May salary to some workers in the state.

In a statement made by the deputy Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Agboola Olarewaju, the governor said that the category of workers that were not paid for the month of May were those who were employed only two or three weeks ago but had their employment letters backdated to November 2018 by the immediate past government.

The statement, which said that most of the workers had never been captured on the government’s payroll before, added that, thus, they couldn’t have been paid May salary.

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“That those appointments are called ‘sunset’ appointments (appointments made by a Governor/administration on the eve of departure).

“That instead of the summary sack, what the government resolved to do is to look at their qualifications and ascertain that they are qualified to be employed. In Ogun, Bauchi and some other states, ‘sunset’ employees were sacked with immediate effect.

“That former Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed did not deem it fit to employ them until a few weeks to leave the office.

“That some were employed last week and backdated to November 2018 (last year).

“That in 2003, former Governor Bukola Saraki sacked all of the late Governor Mohammed Lawal’s sunset appointments and also demoted some civil servants.

“That a dubious interview process was conducted in which only cronies of the last administration were employed over and above those that excelled with flying colours.

“That, finally, we state again that these sunset workers have not been sacked; their employment status will be looked into and salaries reinstated for those above board,” the statement said.