By Israel Adamu, Jos
Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang on Tuesday approved the full absorption of 1,200 ad hoc staff of two tertiary institutions in the state, ending more than a decade of temporary employment for the affected workers. The beneficiaries are staff of the College of Education, Gindiri, and the Plateau State Polytechnic, Barkin Ladi.Addressing the workers at Government House, Little Rayfield, Jos, Governor Mutfwang described their prolonged ad hoc status as unjust. He said it was unacceptable for staff who had sustained the institutions for years to earn monthly stipends of only ₦6,000 and ₦15,000.
The governor explained that he cancelled the last-minute employment exercise conducted by his predecessor to allow a proper review of the complaints surrounding the appointments. He said the decision was misunderstood, but necessary to rectify longstanding injustices.“It’s unfortunate to discover that those who kept these institutions running for several years were never given permanent appointments,” Mutfwang said. “We felt it was immoral, unprofitable, and wicked, which is why we suspended the entire exercise to probe the complaints and injustices that were done.”He noted that some individuals had rushed to court and obtained judgments, not because the government acted wrongly, but because the appointments should have been handled by the institutions’ governing councils, which were not constituted at the time.According to the governor, once the councils were inaugurated, they reviewed all records to determine eligibility, and a help desk was created at the Ministry of Education to address complaints.
Governor Mutfwang also announced that the state government would compensate the workers for the years spent earning meagre stipends.“We have met with the heads of your institutions, the commissioner, and other government officials,” he said. “We agreed that the years of collecting ₦6,000 and ₦15,000 should not only be acknowledged but compensated. I have approved funds to be disbursed to the institutions to ensure you are properly rewarded.”Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Kachollom Gyang, praised the governor for what she described as a compassionate and people-centered decision. She said Mutfwang had demonstrated genuine concern for the welfare of Plateau workers.Speaking on behalf of the newly absorbed staff, Josiah Sati thanked the governor for finally addressing their plight after 10 years of appeals to previous administrations. He said the workers would remain loyal to the governor and support his bid for re-election.“We have endorsed him as our candidate for 2027,” the representatives added.
