Taraba State Governor, Ach. Darius Ishaku has said that his administration is on the same page with the Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) over its call for local autonomy in Nigeria.
Ishaku, who stated this yesterday in Jalingo when the officials of the Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) led by the national president, Ibrahim Khaheel paid him a courtesy visit in his office, said his administration since assumption of office is committed to prompt payment of workers’ salaries.
He noted that the third phase of screening of local government staff in the state by security operatives was yielding huge results.
“I am appealing to all local government staff who are genuinely employed to reason with this government. After the screening, we will ensure that all genuine staff of LGAs are paid their salaries,” he said.
He explained that the previous screening exercise of LG staff in the past could not stand the test of time due to fictitious names that were included on the pay rolls of the local government councils which gave rise to either delay or non-payment of salaries of some genuine staff.
The governor added that since his assumption of office as governor of the state, salaries of local government staff had skyrocketed astronomically despite transfers, retirements and deaths.
Speaking, the National President of NULGE, Ibrahim Khaheel said they were in the state on an advocacy campaign for local government autonomy and to identify with the governor.
He observed with dismay the absence of an effective leadership at the local government levels and attributed the trend to the wide spread corruption, insecurity, poor health care delivery system among others.