After three months of suspension from office, the Nasarawa State Government has recalled all the Directors of Personnel Management (DPMs) and Directors of Finance and Accounts (DFAs) of the 13 local governments and 18 development areas of the state.
The councils’ DPMs and DFAs were suspended from office over alleged anomalies, discrepancies and high wage bills incurred by the local councils, which affected prompt payment of staff salaries.
The suspension order was issued to the top council accounting officials to enable the state Auditor-General to investigate issues surrounding the inability to pay salaries owed by local government staff for three months.
A letter dated 15th February 2021 with reference number LGSC/ADM/008/V. 111/157 and signed by the Permanent Secretary, Local Government Service Commission, Julde Ramatu, for the chairman, said the affected officers should resume office while the investigation goes on.
“Nasarawa State Governor, Engr. Abdullahi Sule is pleased to recall your suspension for three months, effective from 13th November 2020. The suspension period has expired on 13th February 2021. I wish to inform you that the investigation is still ongoing.
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“However, the commission wishes to recall you to report to duty immediately pending the outcome of the conclusion of the investigation.
“Accordingly, you are directed to resume duty in your respective offices as Directors of Personal Management and Directors of Finance and Supplies of local governments and development areas respectively,” the letter said.
The council officials were suspended because they refused to work with the directive of the committee set up by the government to investigate the discrepancies and high wage bills incurred by local governments, the public relations officer in the Ministry for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Ibrahim Adamu Shigafarta, had said in November.
He said all local government staff were audited over some abnormalities, so the government decided to use April 2012 payment vouchers to get to the roots of the fraud.
“Local government salaries as at 2012 was N1.1 billion, but now that there was no employment, promotions, people died, some retired, while others left for greener pastures job, from nowhere local government salaries skyrocketed to N1.3 billion monthly.
“That’s was why two months ago (September 2020), the state government decided to constitute a committee headed by the state Accountant-General, Auditor-General, Permanent Secretary, three chairmen and director in the ministry to look into the problem.
“The committee after investigation discovered that after payment of salaries and other entitlements, the sum of over N600 million was remaining; so they directed all councils to go back and pay salaries with 2012 payment vouchers, but the DFS refused.
“From the ministry, they were directed to use 2012 payment vouchers to pay salaries and if there are any genuine complaints, they should be forwarded to the committee for ratification, but they refused; they held payment of salaries to ransom, that is why the government directed that they be suspended,” he said.
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