*Accuses consultants for incompetency
By Aliyu Dangida
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Jigawa State chapter has decried the implementation of Intergrated Personnel Payroll Payment System adopted by the Jigawa state government.
Speaking at the 2024 May Day celebrations organized by NLC JigawaState, the chairman, Comrade Sunusi Alhassan said the exercise has not only thrown workers into uncertainties but denied majority of them both working with local and state government not to receive their April, 2024 salaries.
The Chairman describing the situation as unprecedented that required urgent government attention, added that IPPMS has unexpectedly led to the massive underpayment of staff, added that of those that are so far paid, there’s hardly a single staff who was paid their correct salary figure.
He said:- “Most were underpaid while some were overpaid, beside names of thousands of workers appear on the IPPMS payment vouchers missing hereby throwing them into uncertainties.
“As at today 1st May, 2024, majority of civil servants working in the state and local government councils have not received their April, 2024 salaries, this is unprecedented and unbelievable in the history of salary payment in Jigawa”.
Jigawa NLC therefore called on the state government to ensure that the migration to the IPPMS payment flatform is conducted in such a way that workers are not affected by any hidden charges, unnecessary bottlenecks, saying the experience of Jigawa state government with IPPMS has so far been harrowing.
The exercise according to NLC was marred by extortion from members, as many were forced to sleep on tarmac and open spaces for days to participate in the exercise, accused IPPMS consultant for incompetency, bias, selfish and corrupt.
He further called on the state government to always put their people first, saying a state long known as a state workers-friendly state, “putting workers first is almost synonymous with putting the Jigawa People first.
“When civil servants smiles, the whole state smiles, when the economy of civil servants improves, the state’s economy improves, when civil servants in Jigawa state suffers, the whole state suffers with us”. He noted.
Responding, the state governor Mal. Umar Namadi represented by his Deputy, Aminu Usman said the introduction of IPPMS was done in good faith not not witchunt any state worker, saying the state government is committed to the welfare of civil servants in the state.
Governor Namadi explained that his administration has introduced agricultural policy for state workers and retirees to provide them with free land and inputs to enable them sustained their means of livehood especially after retirement from active service.