Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State has announced the immediate suspension of all non-statutory deductions from civil servants’ salaries.
This directive, aimed specifically at deductions associated with cooperative associations and commodity vendors, seeks to address widespread grievances from employees over unauthorized payroll deductions.
The announcement was made through the governor’s spokesperson, Sulaiman Bala Idris, in an official statement issued from Gusau on Wednesday. According to Idris, the governor’s decision is a decisive step toward establishing a more transparent and efficient payroll system within the state.
“In his effort to sanitise the Zamfara State payroll system for more efficient management of civil servants’ remunerations, which has been inundated with numerous unauthorised and illegal deductions, Governor Dauda Lawal has ordered an immediate halt to all non-statutory deductions from workers’ salaries,” the statement read.
The directive explicitly targets deductions that have been utilized for what the statement describes as an “illegal surcharge” on workers, under the pretense of cooperative membership or commodity loan repayments. Governor Lawal has mandated the Commissioner for Finance to enforce this suspension without delay, ensuring that the policy is communicated to all cooperative societies and commodity vendors affected.
“The decision follows numerous complaints about deductions from workers’ salaries, some of which were used to facilitate an illegal surcharge in the name of cooperatives and commodity loan repayments. Governor Lawal has instructed the Commissioner for Finance to stop all such deductions from workers’ salaries and to relay the same information to all cooperative societies and commodity vendors,” Idris further clarified.
The governor’s order specifies that only statutory deductions will be allowed to continue. These include essential contributions such as Pay As You Earn (PAYE), union dues, National Housing Fund (NHF), Zamfara State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency (ZAMCHEMA), water rates, Federal Mortgage Bank’s Rent-to-Own and Home Renovation schemes, and Housing Corporation loans.
The statement emphasized the administration’s dedication to supporting civil servants’ welfare. “The present administration in Zamfara State is committed to implementing measures that support the welfare and development of civil servants. These include enhancing working conditions, providing necessary resources, and creating a conducive environment to ensure a highly competent, motivated, and productive workforce,” it read.
Governor Lawal’s directive has been widely welcomed by civil servants, who see it as a necessary step toward financial accountability and fairness in the state payroll system.
The move is expected to bolster morale among state employees while reinforcing trust in the administration's commitment to upholding their interests.
