Gov. Zulum Pledges to Improve Welfare of Workers in Borno

By Ahmed Abu, The Nigerian Voice, Maiduguri

Governor Babagana Umara Zulum of Borno State while receiving the leadership and members of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) at the Government House, Maiduguri assured civil servants in the state of his administration's commitment to improve their welfare Wednesday evening.

He also warned that anyone found wanting shall be punished according to the laws.

Zulum who could not hide his feelings and anger over the miscoduct and misbehaviour of some civil servants disclosed during the first and second phase of the Verification Exercise of the state governennt constituted committees on actual number of workforce and total amount of money being paid as monthly salary by the state governennt. He was particularly worried about the high number of complaints, and directed the labour Congress to within one month submit the names of all workers who are still not receiving salaries.

The Govenror however, emphasized that government will not accept complaint from anyone not captured from the post biometric exercise apeal committee report.

"I shall not work outside the recommendations of the appeal committee. The biometric committee was constituted, and they did their work for two years and submitted their report; the appeal committee worked for one year and submitted its final report.

"Anyone whose name did not appear in biometric neither from the one-year appeal committee report, that he could not submit his name in three years, I don't think that person is genuine staff." Zulum said.

He further disclosed ro the labour union leaders that a biometric exercise for the staffs of local government and local education authority will commence next week while assuring them that as the exercise is ongoing, government will still equally continue to pay salaries in order to avoid undue hardship for the civil servants.

The Governor also commended the efforts of the biometric excersise committee for doing a wonderful job but lamented that the fictitious names inserted into the staffs' payroll was unimaginable .

"On checking our master list, the records of about 300 could not be traced to anywhere. How can you pay gratuity to somebody who was not on record at all. Should I now create another record?

"Are we now revisiting another biometric excersise? We were able to trace one civil servant who has been collecting salaries from about twenty one (21) different places." Zulum Said.

The Governor also assured the Labour Congress that 2020 budgets will precisely look into a rise in the living standards of the civil servants of the state with a view to ameliorate the situation .