We will pay workers before Dec 20 —Kogi gov

Kogi State governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, on Tuesday, assured workers in the state that his administration would pay all salary and pension arrears before December 20.

The governor, who stated this through his Director- General on Media and Strategy, Kingsley Fanwo, said his administration would continue to ensure welfare of workers is put on the front burners to galvanise them to be productive.

“Governor  Bello has directed that all salary and pension arrears be cleared before December 20. He is committed to this promise. The delay in payment of salary and pensions was due to the staff verification exercise, which is almost over.”

“Governor  Bello met four months unpaid salary when he assumed office. What is left at the moment is three months. Those who have recently been cleared by the verification committee, will receive all their arrears in the spirit of fairness and labour friendliness.

“The governor is committed to regular payment of salary in line with the resources available to the state government and will ensure labour plays a critical role in actualising his New Direction Agenda of rejuvenating the state for excellence”.

He said some workers are already receiving the salary arrears, as government has continued to pay those who have been verified and cleared to be genuine workers.

“A good percentage of the workers have been paid salary arrears. Those who have not been paid, will be paid before December 20. Paying authorities have been sending cleared lists of MDAs to banks for prompt payment.

“As a responsible and responsive governor, Alhaji  Bello, is aware of the need to ensure Kogi workers enjoy the fruits of their labour, especially, now that Christmas and New Year celebrations are around the corner. The governor is prepared to put smiles on the faces of civil servants.

“From January 2017, Kogi State will not be making salary payment an achievement. Salary payment would be regular and transparency will help government plan the development of the state with the civil servants, who will appreciate the need for development and growth.”

On whether the  state government has accessed another tranche of bailout, the governor’s spokesman discountenanced the “rumour” as “fabricated, unfounded and imaginative”, insisting that the administration of Alhaji  Bello is transparent and “uncompromisingly committed to anti-corruption.”

“We are the only state government that published our bailout account. It is evidently clear that Alhaji  Bello is committed to the fight against corruption. No state government has done more internal cleansing than that of Kogi State in  2016. If Governor  Bello could continually check his own administration, those dancing around the courts to avoid justice on their past should forget their dreams and prepare their papers to appear before the legitimately constituted Judicial Panel of Inquiry. .

“Nobody is victimising anyone. Even the issue of staff verification exercise wouldn’t have been necessary if certain powers in the past didn’t load our payrolls with non-existent names.”.