By AWAYI KUJE
LAFIA- Gov. Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State says his vision is for the state to have enough savings to pay workers salaries without depending on the monthly federal allocation.
Sule said this when he hosted officials of the state chapter of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) at the Government House, on Thursday in Lafia.
He said that even though Nasarawa state belonged to the category of states referred to as civil service states, his administration had been making efforts to meet its obligations.
“With the state having to wait for the arrival of monthly federal allocation before it could pay salary of workers, my dream is to ensure that we have more money than salary kept as savings in the banks,” he said.
Sule disclosed that the government had made substantial savings with which to settle the gratuities of retired civil servants.
“So far, we have been saving. We have saved some money purely for this gratuity. We started paying gratuity, a certain amount every month,” he added.
He urged labour unions in the state to enlighten the people that his administration had since granted autonomy to local governments in the state.
” It is, therefore, not the responsibility of the state government to pay salaries of local government workers,” he added.
The governor commended the people for the relative peace being enjoyed across Nasarawa state.
Earlier, The state TUC Chairman, Comrade Muhammed Umar-Doma said the visit was to appreciate the governor for the good things he had been doing for workers and other citizens in the state.
“This visit is in appreciation of what you have done to the people and workers of Nasarawa state.
“Today, if we come out to say we are not grateful to you, then we are not grateful to God, and God will punish us,” Umar-Doma said.
According to the TUC chairman, the government has been taking care of the needs of civil servants within available resources.
He, however, requested the governor to approve in-service training and car loan for workers, and support the construction of the TUC secretariat in the state, among others. (NAN)
