The Plateau State Head of Civil Service, Mrs. Rauta Dakok, announced that the State Civil Service has initiated the physical verification of all state civil servants. This is part of the new administration’s efforts to ascertain the accurate wage bill for civil servants in the state.
According to Mrs. Dakok, the government has concerns about the wage bill for civil servants’ salaries, which led to the agreement between the government and labor leaders to conduct a physical verification exercise. She assured that the strike action would soon be called off by union leaders.
To facilitate the verification process, 38 screening teams, including labor representatives, were formed to verify civil servants and pensioners, allowing them to access their March salaries. The exercise aims to minimize the impact of the recent increase in petrol prices on striking workers and the transportation sector nationwide.
Mrs. Dakok emphasized that the government is mindful of rural areas and has established three Zonal Centers for physical verification. Pensioners will undergo screening at the 17 Local Government Council Secretariats due to their health conditions.
The Head of Service explained that the screening teams are stationed strategically, ensuring that civil servants and pensioners do not have to travel far for verification. For example, teachers in Qua’an Pan, Mikang, and Shendam can undergo verification at the Southern Zone screening center, while various ministries have designated screening desks within their zonal offices.
Retired judges gather at the State High Court Complex for screening, and retired permanent secretaries are directed to the State Secretariat. These measures aim to alleviate the difficulties caused by the increased fuel prices.
Mrs. Dakok expressed optimism that with the commencement of the physical verification, labor will instruct its members to end the strike as they start receiving their salary alerts. She passionately appealed to civil servants to consider the importance of calling off the strike action.
In conclusion, the Plateau State Civil Service has initiated a physical verification exercise to determine the accurate wage bill. The government and labor leaders reached an agreement on the need for verification, with the aim of resolving concerns about the wage bill. The exercise is designed to minimize the impact on striking workers and pensioners, particularly in rural areas, and to foster better relations between the government and labor.