Jigawa Governor Suspends Special Adviser Over Controversial Minimum Wage Reports

By Ahmed Rufa’i, Dutse

Governor Malam Umar Namadi of Jigawa State has suspended his Special Adviser on Salary and Pension, Alhaji Bashir Ado Kazaure, following controversy surrounding alleged media reports about a N70,000 minimum wage approval for civil servants.

The suspension, announced by the Secretary to the State Government, Malam Bala Ibrahim, came after Kazaure was implicated in circulating information that the governor had approved the new wage, only to later deny it in an audio statement to the state’s radio station.
In a statement made available the National Update, Malam Bala Ibrahim expressed the government’s serious concern regarding the misleading reports.
He emphasized that the matter was embarrassing and premature, given that a committee tasked with reviewing wage recommendations had not yet completed its work.
To address the situation, the government has formed a five-member committee to investigate the origin and content of the statements, as well as the motives behind them.
According to the statement, the committee will be chaired by the State Attorney General, Barrister Bello Abdulkadir Fanini, and includes various commissioners and a permanent secretary.

“The committee has been given two weeks to submit its findings. In the meantime, Kazaure’s suspension will remain in effect until the investigation concludes.”