Rivers State Governor, Sim Fubara, has issued a directive to the heads of personnel of all 23 local government areas (LGAs) in the state to provide a comprehensive list and details of all workers in their respective LGAs.
This move is aimed at ensuring that only audited and verifiable staff receive salaries, which will now be paid directly by the state government to their accounts.
According to sources, this decision follows the violation of the Governor’s order by some LGA chairmen, who were instructed not to appear before the defunct House of Assembly members led by Martins. It is seen as a move to render the current LGA chairmen, who are loyal to former Governor Wike, ineffective.
With this new directive, the state government will take full control of salary payments, ensuring that workers receive their salaries directly at the end of every month. This move is expected to bring an end to the era of irregular salary payments and alleged mismanagement of funds by the LGA chairmen.
The Governor’s decision is seen as a bold step towards ensuring transparency and accountability in the management of local government funds. It is also expected to boost the morale of workers in the LGAs, who have been facing difficulties due to the irregular payment of salaries.
The state government prepares to take full control of salary payments, the affected LGA chairmen are likely to face significant challenges in the coming days. With no funds available for projects or salary payments, their role in the management of local government affairs is expected to be significantly diminished.