The Executive Chairman of Degema Local Government Area, Hon. Michael John Williams has declared a strict “no work, no pay” policy for council staff, vowing to end what he described as the nonchalant attitude of some civil servants in the LGA.
Williams made the declaration on Monday during an interactive session with staff at the council secretariat. He expressed concern that despite the large number of workers on the council’s payroll, many fail to report for duty, insisting that such practices will no longer be tolerated.
Ibiala Martyns Yellowe, Press Secretary (Social Media) in a statement said the chairman directed the Head of Local Government Administration (HLGA), Head of Personnel Management (HPM), and departmental directors to draft a weekly schedule for staff. He added that he would personally monitor compliance and ensure that any staff who fail to meet the schedule will forfeit their salaries from October 2025.
While warning against truancy, Williams reduced the official work schedule from five days a week to two days a week, noting that he understands the difficulties faced by workers in reporting daily. He said the decision balances compassion with accountability.
He further pledged to improve staff welfare, including the provision of well-furnished offices and the prompt payment of salaries. According to him, Degema will continue to lead in ensuring its staff are paid first in the state.
The council boss also announced plans to conduct an independent staff verification exercise to ascertain the true workforce of the LGA, citing the need to address issues of ghost workers and truancy despite a previous state government exercise.
