The vehicles were presented to the commissioners on Thursday at the Government House.
Despite owing civil servants and pensioners their entitlements for several months, the Taraba State Governor, Darius Dickson Ishaku, has presented brand new vehicles worth millions of naira to about 25 commissioners.
The vehicles were presented to the commissioners on Thursday at the Government House.
There are however concerns about the governor’s priority as the state government owes civil servants and pensioners three to five months of unpaid salaries or pensions.
Many workers have lamented their inability to provide for their families as they go into the Christmas holidays.
A civil servant in the state, who spoke to SaharaReporters on condition of anonymity, described Ishaku’s action as a ‘misplacement of priority’.
He said they have not been paid salaries for November and December 2022.
He said local government staff members are being owed five months of unpaid salaries.
It was learnt that local government pensioners are being owed pensions of over five months.
SaharaReporters learnt that the state government and local governments in the state run a joint account, killing local government autonomy in the state.
A primary school teacher also accused the governor of subjecting them to untold hardships.
She said the attitude of the Ishaku-led government to teachers showed he did not attach priority to education.
Another worker criticized the Nigeria Labour Congress leadership in the state for failing to support them at the expense of their personal ambitions.
When contacted by SaharaReporters, the state information commissioner, Lois Emmanuel said he was in transit and promised to call back. He has however refused to return the call as of the time of filing this report.
Subsequent efforts made by SaharaReporters to reach him on the phone were not successful as he did not answer the calls.
The Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Iliya Bekyu said he had visitors and would get back to SaharaReporters. He had also failed to do that as of the time of filing this report. Bekyu also did not answer subsequent calls from our correspondent.
Recently, the government ordered the arrest and detention of a journalist, Ayodele Samuel, over a publication alleging that Governor Ishaku sold property belonging to the state government.