Faith Awa Maji, Lafia
GOVERNOR Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State has no Saturday cried out over rising litigations against the State Government by the indigenes which he said was impeding the activities and programmes of the government and the development of the state.
Governor Sule who disclosed that he inherited five garnish court orders on assumption, also noted that government activities and programmes were witnessing some setbacks following the increasing litigations against the State governnent.
The Governor spoke when he received members of the Correspondent Chapel of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, Nasarawa chapter who paid him a Sallah homage in his country home, Gudi, Akwanaga Local governnent of the state.
According to governor Sule, the state government has to run to some commercial banks to beg for assistance to enable the worker in the state receive their July salaries to enable them celebrate Eid-el- Kabir following the garnishing of its account by the Federal High Court, Abuja.
The governor while begging the people of the state to refrain from obtaining Court orders against the governnent said that his administration was committed to the welfare of civil servants, hence the need for the state government to made special arrangements with top management of banks to pay salaries despite garnishing of its account.
“The garnishing order came at a very embarrassing period when we have made arrangement for the payment of salaries to civil servants. But I am happy to tell you that we were able to pay salaries to civil servants in the state.”
“When we received the garnishing order, I starting calling Lagos, the headquarters of most of these bank and we made arrangements with their top management to assist us pay salaries to our staff”.
According to the governor who was visibly angry stated that governnent was unable to pay pensioners adding that between Monday and Tuesday next week, pensioners will be paid.
Sule assured that his administration will continue to key into good policies and programmes that would impact positively on the lives of the civil servants and other citizens
While appreciating the Correspondents chapel for the visit urged journalists to continue to play their statutory role of educating the public on the state government policies and programmes for development to thrive.
Earlier, Chairman of the chapel, Isaac Okpoju said the visit was to identify with the governor on this year’s Eid-el-Kabir celebration anfd assured the governor of good working relationship in the interest of peace, unity and development of the state and the country.
It would be recalled that a Federal High Court, Abuja had on Wednesday garnished the Nasarawa State Government Account following a litigation filed by some pensioners over non payment of their gratuity in the state.