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Tough days lie ahead for salary racketeers in Taraba State, as Governor Darius Dickson Ishaku has vowed to continue to hunt and bring all perpetrators of salary rackets to book.
They include some Local Government Directors of Finance who have been feeding fat on the ghost workers phenomenon. Others are Clerks still conniving with cartels to issue fake employment letters and BVNs.
In a statement signed by the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Public Affairs, Emmanuel Bello, Ishaku said enough was enough and that all illegalities must stop.
He said, “we are going to deal with any one caught in salary vandalism because they are criminals. We are using all the available means to track them down and anyone who thinks he or she is smart is wasting his time.
“It is said that the mills of the gods grind slowly but surely. I want to declare that the end has come for those who are causing pains to people. Anyone who wants to test the resolve of Government is welcome to try his or her luck.”
The Governor who maintained that he takes salary of workers seriously, noted he would not be the one to toy with his citizens’ welfare.
He said, “I’m also a salary earner like the majority of people. I know what it means to be anticipatory of one’s remuneration after days of hard work. So I would be the last person to deliberately stop any body’s genuine salary.
“But having said that, we must do what is right. The verification exercise became necessary in view of the paucity of funds from the Federal Government.
“Taraba State is a unique State and we needed to be more circumspect in spending. We couldn’t be seen as being wasteful. The exercise was to, among other things, cut waste, reduce or even eradicate the thievery and ensure that the right people got what was due to them.
“In the past, all sorts of middle men were busy stiffing the people either by short changing them or outrightly embezzling what belongs to them. We are not the only State embarking on biometric exercises. It is in keeping with best practices everywhere.
“A bank alert would cut off many things including those who like to create ghost workers. What’s more? Workers can now get what is their entitlements unlike before when someone would be busy reducing people’s salary”, he stated.
The Governor appealed for understanding, noting that he is aware of all the issues.
“I can assure all that these issues would be sorted out. I personally even attend to some of the complains and I don’t rest until I solve them no matter how little it appears. So I’m not unmindful as the people’s leader.
“The criminals who have been sidelined by the new system are inciting some people against Government. They are a cartel and we are fishing them out. We shall soon get all of them.
“Please our dear people should bear with us. If you have genuine issues I can assure you we would not rest unless you start getting your entitlements,” he said.
