The Governor-elect of Benue says the Nigerian State’s Public Service “is in the Intensive Care Unit” after years of neglect.
Following a meeting with Federal President, Muhammadu Buhari, Hyacinth Alia told reporters the State Government owed a backlog of salaries, pensions and gratuities to its workers.
“My responsibility as the incoming Governor is to remain focused and tackle the myriad of problems facing the State,” Mr Alia (pictured) said.
“It is sad that the life of the Civil Service in the State is near collapse, it’s in the Intensive Care Unit, so I need to get in there and infuse life in it and keep it moving.”
He said he already knew there was a backlog of unpaid salaries, pensions and gratuities “so already I have got much on the desk to keep a good focus on and I remain hopeful that I am going to do just that”.
Mr Alia, a Catholic priest, said the 2023 elections had not been perfect overall.
“If there were some errors, I am coming to correct them, I know for sure we are hospitable, we are friendly and the Benue State Assembly is also a knowledgeable Assembly,” he said.
Problems affecting Public Servants are also apparent in Sokoto State, where Public Servants have appealed to the Sultan of Sokoto to prevail on Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal to settle the arrears of their February and March salaries.
A spokesman for the bureaucrats, Ibrahim A. Musa said more than 10,000 workers had not been paid since January.
“If the present administration fails to listen to the words of wisdom from well-meaning individuals such as the Sultan, we will be left with no option other than to seek legal redress,” Mr Musa said.
“We have families and other dependents who rely on us for their survival. How do you think we can manage them at this crucial moment without our little monthly earning?”
Abuja, 7 April 2023
