Gov. Umaru Al-Makura of Nasarawa State on Tuesday in Lafia, inaugurated a 23-member Committee to review the salaries of political office holders, civil and public servants in the state.

Al-Makura said the move had become imperative in view of the dwindling revenue allocation to the state from the federation account occasioned by the fall in oil price at the international market.

He said the setting up of the committee was a proactive measure to ensure the sustenance of delivery of government policies and programmes.

Al-Makura noted that the wrong adoption of the salary structure for minimum wage in 2011 made the state government to pay the highest salary table in the country.

“This precarious situation has affected our determination to turn around the lives of the citizens and for government to attain some its objectives.”

He explained that over 90 per cent of the state's accruable revenue was not enough to pay salaries, leaving other government responsibilities to the citizens to suffer.

Al-Makura, therefore, urged citizens of the state to be patriotic and reason along the same line to cater for those citizens not drawing directly from government coffers.

He added that the motive was not meant to increase the hardship of the people but rather for all citizens to be rational and understand with the government for the benefit of all.

He said the committee would ascertain the revenue accrual to the state from Federation Account Committee and study the national minimum wage law operational in the federation from 2011.

The governor said the committee would also look at the remuneration package for political, public and judicial office holders in the country 2007.

It will also study the remuneration laws for public office holders at the state level from 2009 and advise government accordingly.

He also said the committee would examine the implementation of the National Minimum Wage in the state and advice government in line with the provision of the National Minimum Wage Act.

Al-Makura said the committee was expected to undertake comparative analysis of the implementation of the national minimum wage in Nasarawa state with selected states from the six geo-political zones of the country.

He said the committee has one week to submit its report in order to enable the state government to pay May salaries to workers.

Mr. Yusuf Shehu, Attorney-General of the state and Chairman of the committee, promised the government and people of the state to give their best in discharging the assignment given them.

He promised that the committee would be guided by the terms of reference and would deliver within the time frame.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), recalls that the Nasarawa state government had on May 13, announced a 35 per cent cut in workers’ salaries, forcing workers’ unions to give a 48-hour ultimatum on May 16 for the reversal of the decision.

The state government rescinded the decision on May 17, and thereby averted industrial action and called for negotiation. (NAN)

•Photo shows Governor Al-Makura.

Update news