Benue staff affected by verification to collect salary

Special Adviser to the Benue state governor on Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Jerome Tor Shimbe yesterday said arrangement has been concluded to begin payment of those removed from payroll across the 23 local governments by State Emergency Committee on Salary Issues (SECSI).
The staff were removed from the payroll after verification carried out by SECSI set by the governor to ascertain the actual number of staff in the state and local councils.
But Governor Samuel Ortom after receiving some complaints had directed reinstatement of all staff affected.
However, the staff of the Makurdi local government area affected in the verification yesterday took to the streets protesting that they should be reinstated.
Reacting to the issue, Mr. Shimbe said the protest was politically motivated, noting that the bureau has concluded arrangement to ensure that the affected staff receive their payment this August.
He noted that his office has received the list of the genuine staff affected from the Local Government Service Commission and will ensure that payment of their salaries resume within the month.
“The protest as far as I know is politically motivated.
The issue here is to reconcile what the Commission had brought out from their screening with what SICSI got from their verification.
“The committee was having less but we have reconciled that and by this August everybody will be on board and will receive their salaries.
His Excellency,Governor Ortom has directed that we should stand down all other categories of civil servants affected except those who are due for retirement”, he added.