From Linus Oota, Lafia
A group, the Nasarawa Consultative Forum (NACOF) have appealed to the Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura to consider the plight of the pensioners whose main source of income is the pensions.
They also appealed to the governor to use the expected Paris club funds to settle all outstanding salaries, adding that payment of salaries in percentage would not be accepted by the group any longer.
President Muhammad Buhsri had, during a meeting with the state governors, last week, directed the minister of Finance and the central bank governor to immediately released the second batch of Paris club funds to enable them pay outstanding salaries of workers and pension of retirees.
Addressing newsmen in Lafia, president of the group, Idris Ojoko, decried a situation where governors diverted Paris club funds against the directive of the president, adding that such will not be acceptable henceforth.
“We are passionately appealing to the state government to come to the rescue of the respected retirees whose main source of earnings is their pension
“The government should also find a lasting solution of bringing to an end the payment of workers salaries in percentage and providing the possible ways of reducing the high rate of unemployed graduates in the state ” he said
He wondered why local government staffs are still receiving salaries in percentages despite the receipt of the first batch of Paris club funds to the state with a directive to settle salary areas of the third tier of government in the state.
The group which advocated for independent team to monitor the implementation of the second batch of the Paris club funds, promise to embark on a protest to drum support for their demand
According to him “in view of the above, we are informing the general public that we are embarking on a 1000 people solidarity rally to the Government house Lafia on the 28th March 2017 to show our appreciations, solidarity and continuous support as well as present our request on issues that requires urgent attention to the state.”
He, however, commended the Nasarawa State Government under Al-Makura for transforming the 13 local government areas in the state in areas of roads construction, bridges and culverts, health and agriculture, urban development, free education at primary and secondary school levels, the ongoing Cargo Airport projects among others.