Good side of Gombe State Gov Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya towards governance
By Ben Ngwakwe, Gombe
Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, may have his weak points as human being but the zeal to improve the human and material resources is a guiding philosophy of his administration and governance in the state.
Records have it that Governor Yahaya, has done excellently well compared to the previous administrations for example, the Governor has approved 1.3 billion naira for the payment of backlog of gratuity to Local Government Retirees and also approved the immediate Promotion Of 26, 085 LG Workers the payment of arrears since 2012 .
This development is unique because no previous administrations have approved promotions with financial benefits according to the Commissioner of Finance, Alhaji Magaji Gambo .
Recently, the Gombe State Governor, approved over 1.3 billion naira for the payment of backlog of gratuity owed retired local government employees while the Local Government Area s retirees were last paid in 2011.
The Governor, out of benevolent to improve the welfare of the people has also approved the promotion of 26, 085 local government workers notionally and financially across the eleven local government areas of the state with immediate effect as a sign of good governance and welfaristic leadership of the Governor.
Investigation gathered that of the number of the promoted staff, 6,738 are local government workers, 16,739 are Local Education Authority, LEA teachers while 2,608 are workers at the Primary Health Care Centers, adding that the last time teachers were promoted in the state was in 2009 while promotions with financial benefits were last implemented in 2014.
The Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Ibrahim Dasuki Jalo, disclosed the development during a press conference in his office.
According to him, pensions, gratuities, salary increment and other entitlements will follow the promotions where Balanga, Gombe, Kaltungo and Yamaltu/Deba local government councils will pay backlog of gratuities for 2012; Akko, Billiri, Dukku and Shongom will pay for 2012 to 2013; Funakaye will pay for 2012 to 2014 while Nafada will pay for 2012 to 2015 which is estimated at the sum of 1.3 billion naira.
Hon. Dasuki also maintained that all the local government councils in Gombe state have positive balances in their accounts which makes it possible for them to pay salaries, pensions, gratuities and other entitlements as at when due as against the ugly trend before the coming of the present administration.
The Commissioner said,before the inception of the administration of Governor Inuwa Yahaya, local government councils had to take bank loans to pay workers salaries, the ugly situation,he revealed, has since been reversed by Governor led administration.
The Commissioner explained that the leadership trajectory of Governor Inuwa Yahaya is such that each local government has become financially independent such that it does not have to depend on other LGAs for financial bail out.
He commended Governor Inuwa Yahaya for the approval, especially at such a time when the national economic indicators are telling on the social and economic lives of the people.
Also speaking, the Commissioner of Finance and Economic Development, Malam Muhammad Gambo Magaji conveyed the Governor’s approval of 1.7 billion naira for the payment of backlog of gratuity owed 2017 State retirees.
“The payment of backlog of gratuity owed retired workers by the Inuwa- led administration has gulped about 7.9 billion naira. Recall that Governor Inuwa had earlier paid the backlog of gratuities owed for 2014, 2015 and 2016 state retirees and now for 2017 with the total amount paid out at state level standing at 6.6 billion naira. With the 1.3 billion naira approval for the local government retirees, we now have a total of 7.9 billion naira paid as backlog of gratuity left by the past administration.”
Gambo Magaji commended the financial management skills of Governor Inuwa Yahaya in seamlessly paying salaries, executing capital projects for the good of the State amidst lean resources. He also commended the Governor for breaking the jinx in the implementation of promotions for the LGA workers with financial benefits.
Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Gombe State chapter, Comrade Bappayo Abdulmumini, on behalf of the local government workers appreciated Governor Inuwa Yahaya for the gesture, saying the pro-workers policies of Governor Inuwa are recipes for Gombe State workers and their families to ensure his seamless return in 2023.
In another development, for the fourth time in 4 years, Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, commenced the payment of another tranche of over 3 billion naira as backlog of gratuity to more than 5000 State and local government retirees.
The payments, investigation gathered revealed that it covers retirees from both the employment of the State and the Local Governments.
In his remarks before presenting the Cheques to the beneficiaries, Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, maintained that the era of civil servants working and dying without enjoying their gratuities and pensions are over. “You have laboured in the service of our dear state, you must also enjoy the fruits of your labour,”he declared.
Governor Inuwa Yahaya said that notwithstanding the gloomy pictures on ground when he came to power, he has consistently kept faith with all the promises he made to the people of Gombe State.
“Our administration inherited a backlog of over 21. billion naira gratuities for both the State and LGA retirees from the past administration. State pensions obligation was over 14bn while LGA was over 7bn bringing a total of over N21 billion naira in 2019″.
He said that as at today, his administration has paid State Pensioners their 2014, 2015, 2016 and today 2017 entitlements, disclosing that the total payout for state retirees including today’s payment stands at N6.6bn.
” As for the LGA retirees who have not been paid in 11 years, the 11 LGA’s will today begin payment of a total of N1.3bn. Payment period ranges between 1 and 4 years depending on their financial capacities. The LGA’s will continue to reduce their backlogs as their finances improve.
“The State retirees were last paid in 2013 while LGA retirees were last paid in 2011. This means that the last administration only paid 2 years gratuity to state workers while the LGA were only paid 6 months throughout the 8-year tenure of the last administration.
Governor Inuwa revealed that the total gratuity payment by his administration as at today stands at N7.9bn.
” I believe this fulfils my promise that I will not owe a year of gratuity during my years as Governor. And Insha Allah, I feel fulfilled that I have kept my promise. And that this promise is being fulfilled to retirees who served diligently, loyally and meritoriously is a great joy to my conscience”, he said joyfully.
Governor Inuwa said he and his team are firm believers of integrity in governance.
” When we came to power, we promised the ordinary people; the down trodden that we will make life easier and better for them. We said we will provide quality education, good health care delivery system. We must not shy away from taking our responsibilities. The ordinary people are part of us.We must not leave anybody behind. We must work in tandem.We must all work together in collaboration,” Governor Inuwa said.
He called for the the cooperation of the citizens for his administration to be able to serve them better, even as he admonished civil servants and politicians to live a life of sacrifice and sincerity.
“When we came in in 2019, we inherited a very sad situation.But today, the remarkable progress we have been able to make is available for all to see”, he said.
The Governor also encouraged the Local Governments to be creative in their respective areas, maintaining that “the state government has given them free hands to operate. But they must produce good results for the people to benefit”.
“Going forward I want to advise that all the local government should go and sit down with NULGE and NLC and do a review of how they will survive.The public institution must work, the public schools must work the public hospitals must work. The retirees must not be allowed to suffer. When the public institutions work, you pay less and enjoy more.The public system belongs to everybody.The population is increasing by the day,the future looks bleak.
“In Gombe State, all local government are autonomous, but administratively me must monitor. We are operating democracy but if you have local governments who will go and spend all your money how do we explain that. Election is coming I hope you will keep your eyes open and do the needful.You must work hard and sacrifice,” he concluded.
Also speaking at the occasion, the Deputy Governor, Dr. Manassah Daniel Jatau, who shared his experience as a retired Customs officer, praised Governor Yahaya’s sincerity of purpose in keeping his promises to the senior citizens who have served in the state.
He said that in the last three and a half years, it has been good news for retirees in the state.
In his remarks, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Ibrahim Dasuki Jalo, maintained that all the local government councils in Gombe state now have positive balances in their accounts which makes it possible for them to pay salaries, pensions, gratuities and other entitlements as at when due as against the ugly trend before the coming of the present administration.
He revealed that before the inception of the administration of Governor Inuwa Yahaya, local government councils had to take bank loans to pay workers salaries.
The Chairman of Pensions and Gratuity Disbursement Committee, Muhammad Buba Gombe extolled the virtues of Governor Inuwa Yahaya, saying “that apart from being methodical in his administrative style, the Governor is also a conscientious administrator who means well for his people and employs a good follow up mechanism to ensure that everyone gets what is due to him or her.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Yakubu Kala Hinna explained that the retirees are full of appreciation for Governor Inuwa’s faithfulness in payment of their benefits as he promised them, assuring of their unflinching support and that of their families towards his second term of Governor Muhammadu Yahaya.
4+4 insha Allah