About 4,972 workers in Zamfara State will not receive their December salaries until their genuineness as bonafide workers is ascertained, the State Commissioner for Finance, Alhaji Rabiu Garba Gusau, has disclosed.

Briefing newsmen in Gusau, Rabiu said the salaries system in the state has many irregularities thus necessitating the position of the state government to see it not just an oversight but rather a deliberate and well-calculated rip off.

He added that this was discovered after the permanent secretary alongside himself had painstakingly carried out a staff audit.

He said the amount of money the affected workers were receiving amounted to N216 million and some of the identified components of the abnormalities include case of civil servants not existing on the CBN database, pay name contrasting with what is obtainable in the bank.

Other discrepancies are drawing more than one salary as captured by the CBN, uploaded accounts not linked with BVN, uploading of unknown persons as state civil servants on the payment system without the executive governor’s approval, receiving salaries after retirement, among others. The state finance commissioner said any worker with genuine complaints should come forward for verification as anyone caught involved in cheating would be arrested. He said data update forms would be given to strengthen staff record.

“With the forgoing, we have redeployed Director of Finance and Accounts, Director of Finance and Supply, Director Salaries, and every other officer with the responsibility to other MDAs in the state to enhance our task.

This is what we have taken to our heart and will not back down until that which is veiled is laid bare.

“We detected and identified illegal deductions from the hard-earned salaries of civil servants which refund was effected by Governor Bello Muhammad Matawalle. We have dug further the clandestine activities surrounding the state treasury,” he said.

He added: “This is not vendetta of any sort but rather a commitment to give Zamfara state the best it deserves; as such, any violation of ethic will no longer be tolerated by this administration and our civil servants must be diligent and professional in carrying out their duties.” (Daily Trust)