By Uzair Adam
The Kano State Government has inaugurated a nine-member fact-finding committee to investigate allegations that 379 local government staff received salaries without proper identification.
This was disclosed in a statement issued on Wednesday by Aliyu Yusuf, Director of Public Enlightenment at the Office of the Head of Service.
He said the decision followed growing agitation from civil servants over salary inconsistencies, prompting the state to revamp its payroll committee.
According to Alhaji Abdullahi Musa, the Head of Service, the committee will determine whether the affected staff members are retired, deceased, or otherwise untraceable.
The situation reportedly came to light during a salary validation exercise in which dummy vouchers were distributed across MDAs to help staff cross-check their pay against official records.
Musa explained that the discovery raised serious concerns, necessitating the constitution of a committee to ascertain the status of the affected workers and recover any salaries paid in error.
The committee is also tasked with recommending measures for preventing such irregularities in the future.
He urged members to approach the assignment with sincerity, merit, and the fear of Allah.
The committee is chaired by Hajiya Kubra Iman, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism and Culture.
Other members include Abdulmalik I. Rogo and Auwalu Saminu Sagagi from the Local Government Payroll Standing Committee; Lamido Aminu from the Office of the Head of Service; and Nura A. Baba from the Ministry for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.
Also on the team are Aminu Malamijo Abdullahi of SUBEB, Aliyu Sani Muhammad from the Office of the SSG, with Sulaiman Hodi Adamu and Sadiq Faruk Yola serving as secretary and co-secretary, respectively.
The committee has been given two weeks to submit its report.