Jigawa Governor Suspends Aide Over Unapproved Minimum Wage Statement
Governor Umar Namadi of Jigawa State has suspended his Special Adviser on Salary and Pensions, Alhaji Bashir Ado, due to an unapproved statement regarding a N70,000 minimum wage ¹ ². The statement, which circulated in various media outlets, claimed that the governor had approved the new minimum wage for workers in the state.
According to Malam Bala Ibrahim, Secretary to the State Government, the statement was “embarrassing and premature” since the committee tasked with advising on the appropriate wage had not yet completed its assignment ¹. The committee, headed by the Head of the State Civil Service, was set up by the government to determine the suitable minimum wage.
Investigation and Suspension
As a result, Governor Namadi approved Ado’s immediate suspension pending the findings of a committee investigating the matter. The investigation committee, chaired by the State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Barr. Bello Abdulkadir, has two weeks to submit its report ¹. The committee will look into:
- The source of the alleged statement
- The actual content of the statement
- The motive behind its release
Other members of the committee include Sagir Musa, Commissioner for Information, Youth, Sports and Culture; Dr. Abdullahi Muhammad, Commissioner for Health; and Muhammad Yahaya, Permanent Secretary Establishment and Service Matters ¹.
