JUST IN: Gov Namadi Suspends Special Adviser Over N70,000 Minimum Wage
By: Ahmed Aminu, Dutse
Jigawa state governor, Malam Umar Namadi has suspended his Special Adviser on Salary and Pension, Alhaji Bashir Ado Kazaure, with immediate effect.
Kazaure’s offence was announcing the state government’s approval for the commencement of the payment of the N70,000 new minimum wage in October.
The suspension was announced by the Secretary to the State Government, Malam Bala Ibrahim in a statement on Saturday.
The statement was made available to our reporter in Dutse, by the Public Relations Officer in the Secretary to the Government’s office, Comrade Ismaila Ibrahim.
According to the statement, the suspension followed an audio clip allegedly sent to Radio Jigawa by the special adviser in which he reportedly the governor had approved N70,000 minimum wage for the civil servants, which he later denied.
It said a five-man committee has been set up to investigate the source, actual content of the statement and the motive behind it.
“The Jigawa State Government viewed with serious concern a statement circulating in various sections of the Media alleging that His Excellency Governor Malam Umar A. Namadi, has approved N70, 000 as new minimum wage”.
“This sounds embarrassing and premature as the Committee headed by Head of the State Civil Service, set up by the Government to advise on the appropriate wage is yet to complete its assignment and submit report”.
“Accordingly, the State Government is compelled to set up a Committee to investigate the source, actual content of the statement and the motive behind it”.
The committee is to be chaired by the State Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Barrister Bello Abdulkadir Fanini, Commissioner of Information, Youth, Sports and Culture, Sagir Musa Ahmed, and that of health, Dr. Muhammmad Abdullahi Kainuwa, as members.
Another member of the committee is the Permanent Secretary, Establishment and Service Matters, Muhammad Yahaya Jabo, while the Permanent Secretary of REPA, Abba Mustapha Yola, will serve as Secretary. The committee has two weeks to submit its report.
The statement, therefore, said the Special Adviser will remain suspended pending the outcome of the committee’s findings.
