By Inusa Ndahi,, Maiduguri
Borno state government has began payment of workers and pensioners not eailer captured in the Biometric verification of workers embarked by the previous administration of former governor Kashim Shettima.
Recall that the incumbent governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum had during his unscheduled visit to the state secretariat last Friday, following his meeting with the Leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress ( NLC), said his administration will not discontinue with the exercise begun by his predecessor, but assured that his government will pay one month salaries and pensions to the workers and pensioners not captured in the exercise after which they will be verified to return to the payroll.
To ensure full compliance with his directive for the payments, Prof Zulum on Monday paid unscheduled visit to state ministry of finance conference hall where table payments of the uncaptured workers and pensioners is being done for monitoring
The governor again warned that anybody found to be listed for payment as ghost will be decisively dealt with according to the law.
He observed that such an act is financial crime, warning that government will not take it kindly with such misconduct, while appealing to the workers and retirees to continue to be patient and join the queue to collect their money.
Addressing the affected civil servants and pensioners, Zulum said :” I urge you to be patience with us, today we are going to pay one month salary of pension arrears to determined your genuineness , after this we are going to look at the backlog of your arrears with a view to pay within our scarce resources in phases ”
” We are paying you but this does not mean we are jettisoning the bio metric exercise, but we are going to fast track it and finish it within the possible time.
“Anybody that is affected by the exercise will be re-enrolled back to the payment system. While anybody found wanting, will be punished ” Zulum added.
He said government will finish with the payment of one month salaries and pensions from now to 15th of June.
” The issues of arrears, increments among others will be considered from 15th June this year. We are going to involve the NLC in the whole processs for fairness”, Zulum further said .