By Terna Chikpa
The Taraba State Government, through the Bureau for Local Government, Traditional and Chieftaincy Affairs, on Tuesday flagged off the payment of five months’ outstanding salary arrears owed to local government workers in the state.
Mr. Godfrey Dame, Permanent Secretary in the bureau, disclosed this during the exercise in Sunkani, Ardo-Kola Local Government Area.
Dame said the payment followed Governor Agbu Kefas’ directive to clear the arrears owed to local government workers across the 16 local government areas of the state since 2015.
He, however, said beneficiaries had been programmed to receive one month’s arrears each, while the remaining payments would be made in subsequent months.
The permanent secretary noted that the payment also covered local government primary school teachers and retirees.
He urged the beneficiaries to reciprocate the gesture by supporting the Kefas administration to succeed.
Dame said, “Today’s exercise is in compliance with Governor Agbu Kefas’ directive to pay off five months’ outstanding arrears owed to local government staff in 2015. This payment is to capture both primary school teachers and retired staff across the 16 LGAs of Taraba.
“At the moment, beneficiaries would be paid one month of the arrears each, while the remaining would be gradually processed monthly.”
Meanwhile, the President of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Taraba State chapter, Comrade Bajison Wakili Damuga, commended Governor Kefas for approving the payment of the five months’ salary arrears owed to local government workers in the state.
Damuga described the approval as a demonstration of compassionate leadership and a clear indication of the governor’s commitment to improving workers’ welfare and strengthening grassroots administration.
He said the decision would bring relief to local government employees who had been affected by the outstanding arrears, adding that the gesture reflected the government’s responsiveness to the concerns of civil servants.
The NULGE president urged local government workers across the state to reciprocate the gesture through dedication, discipline, punctuality and improved service delivery in their respective places of work.
He also called on political leaders, traditional institutions and residents of Taraba State to continue promoting peace, unity and mutual understanding for the overall progress of the state.
Responding on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mr. Usman Buba described the development as a relief that would help them address some of their life challenges.
He thanked the governor for the gesture and promised to mobilise support for his re-election bid in 2027.
Earlier, the Ardo-Kola Local Government Council Chairman, Hon. Umar Badaware, commended Governor Kefas for what he described as a labour-friendly decision.
Badaware urged local government workers to support Governor Kefas’ re-election bid in 2027.
