Local Government Council Workers and Primary School Teachers in Ondo State are now aggrieved over the non payment of their outstanding salaries.
Sources hinted that the state government deliberately ordered the suspension of the local government workers salaries following the discovery of large scale fraud in the local councils.
There was also a report of illegal recruitment of new staff in the local councils.
To bring sanity to the system, over 6,000 ghost workers were dismissed from the local government councils while verification exercise was carried out to know identify legitimate workers.
According to the source, the sacked workers were allegedly recruited into the local government service illegally by the Caretaker Committee Chairmen in the 18 council areas of the state since 2009.
It was learnt that the recruitment of the junior officers from Grade Level 01-06 was done in 2009 without the approval of the Local Government Service Commission,LGSC.
DailyPost further learnt that some newly employed workers were said to have no genuine letters of employment, while some were issued letters signed by their respective chairmen without the approval of the Commission. .
Sources said the‘illegal’ recruitment became the order of the day shortly before the last year governorship election in the state.
Investigation revealed that the excess number of workers at the local government councils was a major problem confronting the growth of the various Local Councils as it’s difficult to carry out projects as monthly allocations were mostly expended on staff salaries
Apparently disturbed by the development,the state Governor ordered for a probe on the recruitment in the 18 local governments areas of the state.
A seven-man Committee was consequently put in place and eventually recommended the displacement of 6,000 workers in the local government service
However, the State President of Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees ,NULGE, Mr Ayo Omoregie debunked the allegation of illegal recruitment in the local government, stressing that the screening exercise by the state government was normal, just to know the number of workers in the 18 local government councils in the state.
He said that about 70 percent of the workers have been paid up to April salary, adding that the state government has given directive to effect the payment of other outstanding arrears.
Comments