The Local Government Joint Accounts Committee (JAC) in Nasarawa State, Northcentral of the country, has resolved to probe the activities of the state Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
Haruna Osegba, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, made this disclosure in Lafia on Wednesday during the JAC meeting.
The commissioner, who is also the chairman of the committee, said the step was aimed at sanitising the system in order to end percentage payments to Local Government staff.
He queried JAC’s approval of monies to the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Primary Health care Development Agency (PHCDA) and Pension Bureau without accountability from their management.
Osegba noted that every month JAC sent money to SUBEB and PHCDA for primary school teachers and health workers respectively, without asking for the salary strength among others.
‘‘We are also approving funds to the Pension Bureau for payments of monthly pension of retirees.
‘‘They bring names of new retirees for inclusion in the payrolls, but nobody has ever informed us that some pensioners had died and their names were removed from pension payroll and make refund of excess money,’’ he added.
He expressed regret that the Local Government staff would still be paid between 70 and 80 per cent of their April salaries.
Similarly, Ayuba Wambe and Abdullahi Adeka, the state Chairman, All Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), respectively accused the MDAs of alleged lack of transparency.
The duo urged the state Auditor-General, Idris Danladi, to investigate the MDAs’ activities and report to the JAC meeting.
Responding, the Auditor-General said that his office had carried out audit of the MDAs in the past as required by law.
He, therefore, called on the affected MDAs to collaborate with his office for the success of the assignment. (NAN)
https://www.africaprimenews.com/2018/03/27/news/genetic-condition-family-of-8-paralysed-isolated-in-northern-nigerian-state-of-nasarawa/
