Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, on Wednesday ordered the immediate suspension of all non-statutory deductions, particularly deductions for cooperative associations and commodity vendors.
Workers in the north-western state have raised numerous complaints about deductions made through the state payroll system.
In a statement from Gusau, the governor’s spokesperson, Sulaiman Bala Idris, clarified that the directive seeks to prohibit all non-statutory deductions from the Zamfara State Government payroll.
“In his commitment to sanitising the Zamfara State payroll system for more efficient management of civil servants’ remuneration, currently plagued with unauthorised and illegal deductions, Governor Dauda Lawal has ordered an immediate halt to all non-statutory deductions from workers’ salaries,” the statement read.
The decision follows numerous complaints regarding deductions from workers’ salaries, with some funds reportedly used to impose an illegal surcharge on workers in the guise of cooperative and commodity loan repayments.
Governor Lawal has instructed the Commissioner of Finance to cease all such deductions from workers’ salaries and to inform all cooperative societies and other commodity vendors accordingly.
For clarity, only the following statutory deductions are permitted: PAYE, union dues, NHF, ZAMCHEMA, water rates, FMB (Rent-to-Own), FMB (Home Renovation), and Housing Corporation Loan.
The current administration in Zamfara State is committed to implementing measures that enhance the welfare and development of civil servants, including improved working conditions, provision of necessary resources, and creation of a conducive environment to ensure a highly skilled, motivated, and productive workforce.