THE Zamfara State Government has denied firing 1,700 civil personnel, calling the reports nasty, unjustified, and baseless.
This was stated in a press statement issued on Wednesday by the Secretary to the State Government, Mallam Abubakar Nakwada, following a celebratory visit by executive members of the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, in the State.
Nakwada went on to say that the state government only chose to rescind the appointments of 14 permanent secretaries made by the administration of Governor Bello Muhammad Matawalle shortly after the state’s gubernatorial election.
He condemned miscreants, mostly from the opposition party, and urged them to accept defeat and let Governor Dauda Lawal’s administration to focus on repositioning the state away from the disarray, misrule, and terrible governance of the APC administration in the state.
He told union leaders that the state’s current administration is working relentlessly to guarantee that civil servants receive their three-month salary arrears.
He solicited the support and understanding of labour leaders and, by extension, the entire workforce and the teaming populace of the state to further give the government a chance to deliver on its six core mandates that will lift the State to greater heights.
Earlier, the state NLC Chairman, Comrade Sani Halilu, stated that they were in the SSG’s office to formally congratulate him on his appointment and to explore more avenues of mutual cooperation between the new administration and the union.
He explained that they welcome any state government move that will ensure the timely payment of workers’ salaries, including any sort of verification that will flush out irregularities in the state payroll.
He then commended the state government’s efforts to restore normal water supply to Gusau and its environs, including the acquisition of new water treatment machines.
The two permanent secretaries in the SSG’s office attended the meeting, Dr Lawal Hussain, Permanent Secretary Cabinet Affairs; and his counterpart of General Services, Alh Bashir Salihu Usman Mafara.
