By John Mkom

JALINGO—Taraba State government has denied the news making the rounds that the state is broke to the level of not being able to pay salaries of civil servants.

The state Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism,  Mr. Ate Kundu also, denied that the government was bankrupt, pointing out that it was capable of paying staff salaries regularly.

He said the state government made a historic land mark in September last year by paying salaries to it staff without the federal allocations.

Kundu further stressed that salaries of staff in the state have been paid up to date, adding that all the state government projects were ongoing due to the transparent manner the state government had managed its resources.

He wondered how and where those peddling the rumour that the government was broke got their  facts and urged journalists in the state to investigate the veracity of the allegation.

“We have finished the payment of the contractor [PW] who completed Jalingo Sunkani Garba-Shede Road and we mobilized them to Bali, Gashaka Gembu Road and as I am talking to you now, they are on site.

“We completed so many projects that I need you people to go out there and see for yourselves that so many of them are ongoing. I do not need to be blowing the trumpet myself but you are our witnesses.”

When asked why the local government’s staff were paid their October and November salaries in December, the Commissioner said: “You know change in the mode of payment of salaries is a difficult process particularly at local government level; but the governor approved the implementation of the new minimum wage and so we were supposed to gather the correct data to implement it, and  that was why two months salaries were delayed but not because the funds were not there.”