Controversy trails over-payment of salaries to Delta civil servants

Reported over-payment of June and August salaries to Delta State civil servants has degenerated into a big controversy.

Last Thursday, the State Head of Service (HoS), Mr. Reginald Bayoko had instructed workers who were over-paid to ensure they return of the excess to their salary accounts.

However, civil servants, who had received their salaries for the said months, argued that there were no over-payments as being alleged by government.

They maintained that the HoS’ call was to divert attention from the state government’s inability to pay workers’ salaries as at when due.

Many of the civil servants, who spoke to our reporter on condition of anonymity raised concern over the development, asking the HoS to explain how the salaries was over paid, or what pattern were followed in the payment.

Many of them said the state government’s directive was an embarrassment to the civil servants. The workers, who expressed dissatisfaction in the delay of workers’ salaries in the last one year, asked: “What format did government follow to pay salaries of workers that it paid more than it was supposed to?”

The HoS, who addressed permanent secretaries and heads of parastatals on the issue, blamed the unfortunate incident on system failure in the course of effecting payments.

He urged the permanent secretaries, heads of parastatals to inform the staff of their various agencies, who have collected money above their salaries to pay it back into their accounts to enable the banks to reverse the payment.

Bayoko told reporters that it is incumbent on every worker, indeed any account holder to report to their banks when huge sums of money are deposited into such accounts before going to withdraw them to avoid financial embarrassment.

He said that names of those who have drawn up their over payment were being compiled by the various banks. He added that efforts were on to ensure that such failure does not re-occur in future.

The HoS urged workers that were short-paid to be patient with the state government while efforts were being made to remedy the errors.