LAFIA – By Mohammed Yangida Governor Umaru Al-Makura of Nasarawa state on Tuesday inaugurated a 21-man committee to review salaries of political office holders, public and civil servants in the state with a view to meeting the present Economic reality.
Speaking at the inauguration, the Governor gave reasons of poor federal allocation, poor internally generated revenue ( IGR) and the ill -advised he received in 2011 on the implementation of N18,900 minimum wage to workers in the state as the reasons for his decision for the downward review of workers salaries in the state.
While advising the state workers to take the new development in good faith, the Governor also advised the people of the state to be patient with the government as everything humanly possible would be done to alleviate their sufferings.
The 21-man committee which has the state Attorney general and commissioner for justice,Yusuf Usman Shehu as chairman, also has the first Secretary to the State Government, Mr Jonah Ogbole as member as well as the representatives of the Nigeria Labour Congress ( NLC) and Trade Union Congress ( TUC) as members.
The committee which was given one week within which to submit its report to the government was guided by six (6) terms of reference which include:
To ascertain the revenue accruing to the Nasarawa State Government and the 13 Local Government Councils from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC), to study the National Minimum Wage Law operational in theFederation from 2011, Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission Remuneration Package for Political, Public and Judicial Office Holders in Nigeria (2007), as well as the Law on the remuneration of Political and Public Office Holders at the State Level (2009) and advise Government accordenly.
The committee is also to examine the implementation of the National Minimum Wage in Nasarawa State and the salary structure being used,as well as to undertake comparative study and analysis of the implementation of the National Minimum Wage in Nasarawa State in relation to some selected States across the six (6) geo-political zones of the Federation and advise Government and also to make any other recommendation(s) incidental to the Committee’s assignment.
Speaking the committee chairman Yusuf Shehu Usman thanked the governor for finding them worthy and promised to carry out the assignment diligently as guided by its terms of reference and submit its report within limited time given to them.
