Mr Friday Sani, member, Kogi House of Assembly, has criticised government’s decision to set up a committee to listen to complaints arising from the report of its staff audit committee.

The 32-member committee, inaugurated by the Kogi State Government in Lokoja on Monday, is to entertain complaints arising from the audit committee’s report that recommended the sack of 32,000 workers.

Sani, who represents Igalamela-Odolu constituency, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Lokoja on Thursday that the committee was “a very faulty document only fit for the dustbin”.

“The report was submitted to the house last week and members roundly condemned it. It is a faulty document that should have been thrown away. This new committee cannot work on a hollow foundation and is already destined to fail,” he said.

He said that the document had been declared “satanic” by the representatives of the people and could never be a good reference material to work with.

The law maker said that the stance of the House would be vindicated at the end of the day.

“Our people have not been paid salaries for month; rather than being paid, they have been declared as ghost workers.

“Many civil servants have died due to hardships or even on countless journeys to screening centres. Is that fair?

“In the Eastern Senatorial District, for example, an accident claimed the lives of 21 civil servants on their way to Lokoja for the screening exercise. Those affected were declared as ghost workers.

“Even those that criticise us know we are telling the truth and only fighting for the rights of the people. The problem is that many people fear telling Gov Yahaya Bello the truth,” he said.

NAN quotes Gov. Bello, while inaugurating the new committee as asking members to “address the little anomalies in the last report and ensure that no genuine worker loses his or her job”.

“We are subjecting that report to further scrutiny by constituting a complaint/appeal committee.

“We are not unaware of, and not insensitive to the plight of workers affected by the screening. We regret the inconveniences caused by the screening which has been on for quite some time now.

“I wish to assure you that no genuine worker will be short-changed at the end of the day,” he said.

The new committee chaired by John Ayuba, a director with Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON), with Ephraim Amurawaiye as secretary, has six weeks to submit its report. (NAN)