PRF to pay political aide’s salary - FG

Bankole Makinde, Abuja - 07.03.2008

All political aides would henceforth be paid their salaries and other emoluments from the Professional Recruitment Funds(PRF) being contributed by the Organised Private Sector (OPS) and no longer from the public treasury.

This latest economic move by the Federal Government was revealed in Abuja on Thursday by the minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Dr. Aliyu Modibbo Umar, who said the step was taken in order to encourage good hands come into government to contribute their quota.

The Minister said this while swearing-in Dr. Abubakar Ali-Gombe and Alhaji Muhammad Ma’aji Alkali to take charge of the newly-created Health and Human Servcies and the Legal Services Mandate Secretariats of the FCT.

Dr. Umar also swore-in Alhaji Bashir Ibrahim, Honourable Tanko Jalam, Hassan Mohammed and Kassim Ali as Special Advisers in charge of Public-Private-Partnership; Political Affairs; Infrastructure Financing/Donor Coordination and Utilities respectively.

He also the Special Adviser on Public-Private-Partnership had informed the government in writing that he would be serving in that capacity without taking any remunerations; while the United Nations Development Funds (UNDP) has indicated interest to be paying the salary of the Special Adviser (Infrastructure Financing/Donor Coordination).

The Minister, who charged the new secretaries to be hard working, said their appointments were based on merit considering their professional acumen and remarked that they were appointed to enable them prove their worth by rendering selfless service to the residents of the Territory.

He reiterated the commitment of his Administration to striving to provide adequate security for lives and property in the entire 8,000 square kilometer of the Federal Capital Territory; ginger growth and development as well as an enabling environment for genuine investors to remain at the front burners of economic activities in Abuja.

The new secretary of Health and Human Services was a Minister of State, Federal Ministry of Health between June 1998-May 29, 1999 and one time Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital.