Nasarawa State is among the few states of the country that is not owing salaries and pension of local government workers and retirees.
Governor Abdullahi Sule disclosed this while playing host to members of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) from the state, at the Government House, on Monday.
According to Engineer Sule, the recent payment of two months outstanding salary arrears by local government chairmen, has taken the state to be among the very few states of the federation that are not owing local government workers salaries and pension.
The governor attributed the prevailing peace in the state to the ability of government at both state and local government to pay workers and pensioners their entitlements.
“When they are happy, we are also happy. That shows the level of peace in the state.”
“By that action it makes us one of the very few states in the whole federation that are not owing any salary and any pension whatsoever,” he stated.
An excited Governor Sule gave the council chairmen the go ahead and appoint political appointees to assist them in the discharge of their responsibilities, having adviced them earlier not to appoint aides until the councils settle all outstanding salary and pension arrears.
He used the opportunity to also congratulate the former deputy chairman of Akwanga Local Government Area, Hon Safiyanu Isa, who recently became the substantive chairman of the council following the demise of the former chairman.
Engineer Sule equally informed the council chairmen of the scheduled visit to the state by President Muhammadu Buhari next month.
In an opening remarks, Nasarawa State ALGON chairman, Hon. Aminu Muazu Maifata, said they were at the Government House to condole with the governor on the demise of one of their own, Hon Emmanuel Joseph Leweh, former chairman of Akwanga Local Government Area, who died last month after a brief illness.
Hon. Maifata also said members of the ALGON visited the governor to show appreciation for the prompt and efficient handling of the issue that came up after the death of the former chairman, which led to the swearing-in of his deputy as chairman in accordance to the law.
They equally thanked the governor for personally offsetting the hospital bills of the late chairman of Akwanga Local Government Area, as well as giving their late colleague a beffiting state burial.
