Zamfara Govt Approves ₦4b Gratuity For Teachers And LG Workers

Zamfara State Government has established committees to verify the employment status of Local Government (LG) workers and retired primary school teachers from 2012 onwards. Alhaji Abubakar Chika, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, disclosed this information during an interview with reporters in Gusau after presenting the 2024 budget proposal for the 14 Local Government Areas (LGAs) at the House of Assembly.

Chika explained that these committees are actively involved in the verification process, and the State Government is gearing up to initiate payments for the verified beneficiaries very soon. He mentioned that the payment could commence either on Friday or the following Monday.

Highlighting the commitment of the current administration led by Governor Lawal, Chika emphasized that efforts have been ongoing since the beginning to increase the salaries of local government workers and primary school teachers in the state.

During the session, Alhaji Hamisu Faru, the Chairman of the House Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, commended the 14 LGAs for adhering to the rules and regulations of the assembly during the budget defense.

Faru encouraged the council chairmen to concentrate on improving the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of their respective councils. He stressed the importance of each LGA finding ways to boost their IGR to support government initiatives, especially in rural areas.

He assured that the seventh assembly in the state is dedicated to enhancing revenue generation and remittance. Faru mentioned that since their inception, they have been reviewing laws to align with modern systems of revenue generation.

He clarified that the ongoing exercise is part of the assembly’s broader efforts to improve the IGR of the state, aligning with the policies and programs of the governor’s rescue mission. The goal is to ensure better revenue generation and utilization for the development of various projects, particularly in rural communities.