The Gombe State Government has cautioned civil servants of the consequences of being complacent in the administration of Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, which has developed a means of determining the seriousness of workers in the public service.
The Head of the Gombe State Civil Service, Mr Bappayo Yahaya, gave the charge while updating journalists in Gombe on the progress made in the full implementation of the Biometric capture and verification of authentic workers in the month of April.
Yahaya who is also the Chairman of the Committee on the Gombe State Integrated Payroll Payment Gateway and Human Resource Management System warned workers that it would not be business as usual, hence they should refrain from truancy, because the attendance verification for civil servants was in force to rid the state of ghost workers.
He said there was no going back on the implementation of the biometric attendance, because the challenges related to pensions and gratuities had been traced to the issue of ghost workers, who stay elsewhere, but collect salaries from the government coffers.
According to him, the government had to device a means of using the software to clean up the system and ensure that only genuine workers are paid.
“I want to advise my colleagues that we are serious. You have to come to work by 8 am and close at least by 4 pm. We have been saying it, some people are taking it lightly. This biometric attendance is serious, it can’t work when others are coming to work and you refuse to come and expect us to pay you. It will not be business as usual. You must come to work, if you don’t want, just resign and go anywhere you want, you are free, but no worker will remain in this service and do what they like. Everyone must have to abide by the rule,’’ he said.
Council areas captured by biometrics
The Commissioner of Finance and Economic Development, Mr. Muhammad Magaji, said three council areas of the State had so far been captured in the biometric payroll system.
Mr. Magaji said Kwami Local Government Area was captured in the biometric system in the month of April. Currently, Yamaltu-Deba Council is being enrolled into the biometric payroll system, while Billiri Local Government Area will be the next area council to be enrolled.
He said in the month of April, the government suspended 431 workers from the payroll, thereby saving 27,114,674 naira.
Mr. Magaji said 691 staff were being investigated to ascertain why they had insufficient attendance, amounting to 62, 888, 621 naira in April.
Expression of support
The Vice-Chairman, Gombe State Chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Mr. Bappayo Abdulmumuni said the union was in support of the biometric attendance and did not subscribe to truancy at the workplace.
Mr. Abdulmumuni, who is also a member of the committee, said the NLC had not received any complaints from any worker since the commencement of the implementation of the biometric system in the state.
He urged anyone suspended who had a genuine reason for not showing up at the workplace, to come to the NLC for justice and fairness.
Emmanuel Ukoh
