A civil society organisation, the Coalition of Zamfara Youths, has strongly criticised Governor Dauda Lawal for removing 2,363 workers from the state’s payroll, describing the action as unfair and harmful to security and economic stability in the state.
In a statement on Tuesday, the coalition’s chairman, Dr. Umar Jelaludeen, dismissed the government's claim that the dismissed workers were ghost employees, calling the move an act of “wickedness.”
“What Governor Dauda has done is purely an act of injustice. There is nothing like ghost workers,”;; Jelaludeen asserted, adding that no screening exercise was conducted to verify the claim before the mass dismissal.
The group also commended former Governor Bello Matawalle for his approach to civil service management, noting that during his tenure, there were no mass sackings but rather employment opportunities.
“Under Matawalle’s administration, 8,000 young people were appointed into various government positions instead of being sacked,”;; the coalition stated.
Expressing concerns over financial transparency, the group alleged that despite receiving substantial federal allocations, the current administration is diverting funds instead of improving workers’ welfare.
They warned that the mass sacking could worsen insecurity in the state and discourage investors from considering Zamfara for business opportunities.
“We are already struggling with insecurity, and now this mass dismissal will only make things worse. Governor Dauda should reinstate these workers instead of worsening unemployment in the state,”;; the coalition urged.
Meanwhile, the Zamfara State chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has also protested the mass sackings, accusing the governor of dismissing over 8,000 workers and failing to implement the national minimum wage.
