Minimum wage: Pankshin LG boss orders screening, verification of council workers

Mr John Damap, the Chairman, Pankshin Local Government Area of Plateau, has ordered the screening and verification of council staff members toward full implementation of minimum wage.

Damap, who gave the order in a news release he signed and issued on Saturday, said arrangements had been made for its beginning on Tuesday, Feb. 23.

The Plateau Government had in January announced the transfer of salaries of Local Government workers to chairmen of the 17 LGAs of the state.

This was sequel to the battle the state government had with LG workers who in November 2020 embarked on indefinite strike over non-implimentation of the N30,000 minimum wage.

The strike ran into early February 2021, when agreements were reached between the workers and the 17 LG bosses after the state government announced its withdrawal from payment of the workers salaries.

The chairman explained that the screening and verification exercise became imperative inview of the huge financial burden in the council especially with the new responsibility on it to be paying staff salaries.

The release read, “arrangements have been concluded for the screening and verification of all staff of the council and that of primary education to ascertain the actual staff strength of the council.

“Both staff of the council and the primary education staff are to avail themselves and present the following during the screening exercise: Letter of first appointment, Letter of confirmation, Biometric slips, Last annual increment, Last Promotion Letter and any relevant documents.

“By this information, all staff are to note that the documents must be original copies. Screening by proxy is not allowed, ” the chairman warned.

Damap gave the screening scheduled dated as follows: Tuesday, Feb. 23, Personnel, Finance and WASH Departments, while Wednesday, Feb. 24, is Social Services, Works and Budget Departments.

He said that Thursday, Feb. 25 and Friday, Feb. 26, the Primary Health care and Agric Departments respectively would take their turns while Monday March 1 and Tuesday March 2nd would be for Primary Education.

According to him, Wednesday March 3, is for the mop up screening exercise of the council.