No fewer than 1300 Zamfara civil servants have refused to appear before the State verification committee recently constituted by Governor Dauda Lawal.
DAILY POST reports that not more than 800 civil servants appeared before the committee for the exercise.
The Governor constituted the committee following pressure mounted on him by combined forces of the State chapters of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and Trade Union Congress, TUC, claiming that many workers were retrenched unjustly.
The labour leaders insisted that many workers were sacked mistakenly following the implementation of the N70,000 minimum wage.
Fielding questions from journalists in his office, the State’s Head of Service, Yakubu Sani Haidara admitted that there was a low turnout in the reverification exercise.
Haidara explained that due to the low turnout, the Governor extended the exercise by ten days, which he said ended on Tuesday, 20th May, 2025, stressing that, upon that, the committee did not record impressive turnout.
“Civil service is an institution that has its rules and regulations. Those affected workers who did not turn out for the reverification will be considered as ghost”, the added.
Speaking further, he said that 209 civil servants from the State Ministry of Education absconded from their duty posts without permission.
“When a worker absconds from his duty post for weeks or months without permission, he or she has already sacked him or herself.
“But when notable people intervened, the Governor asked the 209 workers to write letters of apology for documentation, which made them to be reengaged.
“Even though they have been reengaged, their salaries and allowances for the months they absconded will not be paid to them.
“Also, 51 State civil servants from the State ministry of Finance absconded, but 39 of them have been reengaged while 11 are now pleading for reengagement,” he said.
He noted that the present administration in the State does not have any intention of sacking anybody unjustly, but to reposition the State civil service.
Haidara vowed that every civil servant in the State must justify the monthly salary.
