Gov Bello to clear salary backlogs 5 days to Xmas

The Kogi State Government has reaffirmed commitment to clear the backlog salaries of all the genuine workers and pensioners in the state by 20 December.

The Director General, Research and Development, Kogi State, Mr Moses Okafor, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lokoja on Wednesday.

Moses, who is also the Official Speech-Writer of the Governor told NAN that the screening exercise which hitherto had been causing delay in the timely payment of salaries was completed last month.

“Though the screening exercise was painful for a while but it has finally been completed. I can assure you that Gov. Yahaya Bello is committed to making good his promises to pay all genuine workers and pensioners in the state on or before Dec. 20.

“Any genuine civil servant and pensioner who has not been paid would be paid including all the outstanding allowances and remuneration of political appointees who are already thanking the governor for the gesture.

“The ghost workers have been weeded out and the governor is committed to his word that no genuine civil servant would be adversely affected, that is why adequate time was given to workers to come and defend themselves,” Okafor said.

He noted that some genuine workers had started receiving payment alert for their salary arrears, adding that all the Local government Administrators have been directed by the governor to do the same.

NAN reports that Governor Yahaya Bello met four months unpaid salaries when he assumed office and what is left at the moment is three months arrears.