Gombe State Governor Inuwa Yahaya, on Thursday directed the withdrawal of Salaries for 135 Staff Members of Primary Health Care Development Agency for being absent from work.
Yahaya disclosed his decision after receiving the report of the committee on Primary Health Care Development Agency staff verification exercise.
The committee, headed by the state Head of Civil Service, Alhaji Bappayo Yahaya was mandated by the Governor to ascertain the precise number of the staff on the payroll of the PHCDA as well as determine the gap in human resources to enable government plan for staff recruitment, training, welfare and resource allocation for improved healthcare services.
According to Yahaya, “about 4,304 primary health care staff were verified across the state out of which 135 personnel were found to be absent. “Having studied the report I hereby direct immediate suspension of the salaries of all PHC staff who failed to physically appear before the verification committee.
“All PHC staff with non relevant qualifications be transferred out of the agency and payroll to other departments where their qualifications are needed within their respective local government areas.”
Yahaya added that, “The agency and its governing council should ensure that issues of PHC staff with pending promotions across the 11 LGAs are immediately addressed.”
Meanwhile, the state ministry of health has disclosed that about 20 medical doctors on government’s payroll were not at their duty posts for years.
The ministry said while the salaries of the said absentee medical doctors have so far been suspended, a panel will be set up to investigate the matter with a view to probing the root cause of their absence from duty and those found wanting will be prosecuted and the salaries paid recovered.
