The government withheld the wages of 781 workers due to absenteeism

The Gombe State government headed by Governor Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya withheld payment of the wages of 781 workers due to absenteeism.

Naija News understands that the offending workers were mentioned when the state government was implementing Biometric presence verification for government officials on Friday, October 29.

A statement made available to journalists by the State Commissioner for Finance and Economic Development, Muhammad Gambo Magaji, revealed that workers were penalized for taking time off work in September.

The commissioner further revealed that another 820 workers were to be investigated, adding that the state government had saved N50 million through the suspension of the wages of affected workers for the month.

He noted, however, that the 820 employees with salaries of N 56 million were to be investigated but would earn their salaries for the month after scrutiny.

Magaji said “The grand total for the month of September for suspensions and investigations; the number of employees is 1,601 with salaries amounting to 106, 935, 152 N. “

Naija News understands that the ministry had captured all workers in the state’s 11 local government areas in the new biometric system.

The government however noted that the possibility would be given to those who missed the biometric presence to register.

Magaji added that those who missed the exercise would now have until Nov. 11 to get their data, the last opportunity for workers to sign up if they are not caught.

The commissioner noted that the first batch of the biometric machine had arrived and would be deployed. He added that by the end of November all the machines would have arrived and deployed statewide.

“The data capture machines that would be used to take the stake, which are expected to be deployed statewide, are around 4,000,” said Magaji.

He further said that by the end of the cleanup on November 11, all of the workers’ employment details would have been captured, as the data would help the state plan.

“With the data, we will be able to verify and know who is who and that will also help us to deploy staff in relevant ministries, departments and agencies. We will know if we have any gaps to fill after we have been able to eliminate the so-called ghost workers. that we have lost during these years ”, he said.