The Speaker of the Adamawa State House of Assembly, Hon. Umaru Fintiri, yesterday ordered Governor Murtala Nyako to pay the pending workers salaries for the month of June with the immediate effect or face sanctions.
The speaker disclosed this on the floor of the assembly in Yola after the lawmakers deliberated intensively over the refusal by the state government to pay the state workers their June salaries.
“I resolved that the state government without further delay pay June salaries for the fact that the salaries and running cost accounts have been defreeze. However, we also support the freezing of the capital projects accounts of the state by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC),” said speaker.
Sequel to the impeachment notice against the governor, it was reported that the bank accounts run by the state government was frozen by the federal government.
But at the plenary session of the assembly yesterday, the lawmakers argued that the salaries accounts meant for the state had been freed and money were said to be available for the payment of the June salaries which was delayed because of the current impeachment process meant to oust Nyako and his deputy.
The lawmakers unanimously resolved that the state government should with immediate effect pay the salaries as it also commended the anti-graft agency, EFCC, for freezing the state accounts.
The member representing Hong constituency, Mr. Wafarniyi Theman, said it was wrong for the government to subject innocent civil servants to pains and hardship following state government’s failure to pay their June salaries.
He said apart from the unpaid June salaries, there were two months’ outstanding salary arrears which the government owed the state workers when they embarked on strike in 2011.
“We have prevailed on the government to pay the workers the salaries but to no avail. Despite that, they also refused to pay workers the June salary.
“On this note, the assembly ought to take serious action to salvage the situation and assist the people that we are representing including the state civil servants.
Also contributing, the Deputy Speaker, Kwaomoti La’ori, concurred that there was money available for the payment of salary despite the freezing of the state accounts by the EFCC.
“Although, it has been in the news that Adamawa State account has been frozen, but I heard it on good authority that money is available for salary. The salary account has not been frozen.
“They have no any reason or rationale to hold workers salaries,’’ he said.
In his submission, the member representing Fufore –Gurin, Mr. Ibrahim Sadik Dasin, said what was happening in Adamawa calls for sober reflection as “the cry of the people should be our concern. We must speak on their behalf and try to address their concerns.
Every attempt to reach the spokesman of the governor, Ahmed Sajoh, and the Commissioner of Finance proved abortive at time of filing this report.
