THE Bauchi State Economic Council has approved the payment of monthly stipends to Imams and Pastors across the state.
Governor Bala Mohammed presided over the council meeting on Friday, January 30, which was attended by senior officials from the finance and revenue sectors.
Briefing journalists after the meeting, the Head of Civil Service, Barri. Mohammed Sani Umar, said the approval covers Imams of Juma’at mosques as well as clerics from different Christian denominations, stressing that the payments would be made without discrimination.
“The council has approved the payment of monthly stipends to Imams of Juma’at mosques and Pastors of various Christian denominations across the state,” Umar said. “The payments will be implemented without discrimination.”
He added that the government is currently working out the financial implications of the decision to ensure the policy is implemented smoothly and sustainably.
Umar also disclosed that the council approved the commencement of salary payments to newly appointed Emirs and District Heads, noting that adequate cash flow arrangements had already been made to support the decision.
Meanwhile, the Governor’s Chief Economic Adviser, Alhaji Yahuza Adamu Haruna, said the council reviewed the state’s salary administration process and discovered more than 3,000 ghost workers on the payroll.
According to him, a payroll audit conducted in collaboration with Onyx Investment Advisory Limited led to savings of over ₦4.16 billion for the state.
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Haruna further explained that the state government took full responsibility for salary payments in August 2024, adding that since then, complaints relating to salary issues had ceased.