Governor Umar Namadi of Jigawa State has suspended his Special Adviser on Salary and Pensions, Alhaji Bashir Ado, following the release of an unauthorized and premature statement regarding a new minimum wage of N70,000 for workers in the state.
The suspension was announced in a statement signed by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Malam Bala Ibrahim, in Dutse on Saturday. According to the SSG, the government was alarmed by reports circulating in the media that the governor had approved a new wage structure, a decision that has yet to be finalized.
“This sounds embarrassing and premature as the committee headed by the Head of the State Civil Service, tasked with advising on the appropriate wage, has not yet completed its assignment or submitted a report,” Ibrahim stated.
In response to the incident, Governor Namadi has approved the immediate suspension of Ado, pending the outcome of an investigation. The SSG explained that a committee, led by the State Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice, Barr. Bello Abdulkadir, has been formed to investigate the source and content of the alleged statement, as well as the motive behind its release. The committee has been given two weeks to submit its findings.
The investigative committee also includes Sagir Musa, Commissioner for Information, Youth, Sports and Culture, Dr. Abdullahi Muhammad, Commissioner of Health, and Muhammad Hahaha, Permanent Secretary of Establishment and Service Matters in the SSG’s office.
The government is expected to make a final decision on the proposed minimum wage once the appropriate consultations and investigations have been completed.
