Taraba govt. urges workers to call off strike

Taraba State government has called on the striking workers to return to work and come forward with names of those affected by the variations in salary payments for immediate action.

Governor Darius Ishaku

Commissioner for Information and Re-orientation, Barr. Anthony Danburam made the appeal on Thursday in Jalingo.

Danburam who exonerated the state government of any blame said government was not happy about the abnormalities in salaries of workers and accused the labour unions of going on strike when they failed to bring a comprehensive list of those affected by the omissions or alleged deductions as requested by government.

“The variations are not deliberate. Before now, Soft Link System, a company owe by the present Deputy Governor was handling the payment without any issue, but because he is now the deputy governor it’s not right for his company to still handle staff salary payments and we engage Starter Point Consulting company who are now handling the payments.

“The new consultant is still using the data base of Soft Link, pending when the ongoing staff verification would be completed in a matter of months from now. But within the period there are staff promotions from one grade level to another and some have retired or die and the new consultant does not have these records.

“The Head of Service had written to the organised labour to compile list of workers affected from various Ministries, Department and Agencies and forward them to the desk officer in charge so as to correct the abnormalities in payments and they have not complied with the directive,” he said.

The commissioner said despite the lean resources of the state, the governor Darius Ishaku was paying staff salaries, unlike other states that are finding it difficult to pay their workers, adding that government has no plan to stop workers’ salary despite the strike action.

He wondered why the workers decided to make an issue out of nothing when they failed to comply with the government directive to come forward with names of people affected and in turn are accusing the government of being insensitive.

It could be recalled that workers in Taraba on Tuesday down tools over alleged deductions in salary of workers.