The Bauchi State Government has approved the payment of monthly stipends to Imams and Pastors across the state.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the Bauchi State Economic Council held on Friday, where Governor Bala Mohammed led deliberations on key fiscal and administrative matters.
Briefing journalists after the meeting, the Head of the State Civil Service, Barr. Mohammed Sani Umar, said the council approved the payment of monthly allowances for Imams of Juma’at mosques across Bauchi State, as well as clerics from various Christian denominations, following extensive deliberations.
According to him, the stipends will be paid to religious leaders irrespective of sects or denominations.
“The final step is to work out the economic and financial implications for the effective implementation of this policy,” Umar said.
He further disclosed that the council also discussed the commencement of salary payments to newly appointed Emirs and District Heads across the state, noting that adequate cash flow provisions have been made to ensure sustainability.
Meanwhile, the Governor’s Chief Economic Adviser, Alhaji Yahuza Adamu Haruna, said the council reviewed the state’s salary administration process, explaining that the government worked with Onyx Investment Advisory Limited to identify and eliminate ghost workers from the payroll.
He disclosed that the exercise led to the discovery of over 3,000 ghost workers, saving the state more than N4.16 billion.
Haruna added that the state government took over salary payments from the consulting firm in August 2024, noting that while the process was previously plagued by complaints, there have been no such issues since the exercise was concluded.