Taraba Civil Servants Kick Against ₦3,000 Salary Deduction for APER Forms
Despite Government Explanation.
By Bala Salihu Dawakin Kudu
Democracy Newsline
January 3, 2026.
The Taraba State Office of the Head of Civil Service (HOS), in collaboration with the Joint Council, has explained the controversial deduction made from the January 2026 salaries of civil servants, stating that the ₦3,000 deduction was approved for the production of Annual Performance Evaluation Report (APER) forms.
The clarification followed widespread complaints and reactions on social media after workers noticed the deduction in their salaries. Many civil servants described the action as insensitive, especially in the face of prevailing economic hardship.
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Addressing journalists after a meeting with the Joint Council at the HOS office in Jalingo, the Permanent Secretary, Establishment and Records Office, Mr. Christopher Machoko, said the deduction was neither new nor arbitrary. According to him, a similar exercise was carried out in January 2025.
Machoko explained that the government introduced the deduction because many civil servants fail to complete their APER forms annually, only doing so when promotion exercises are announced. He noted that this practice has negatively affected proper performance evaluation and grading within the service.
He further revealed that civil servants had long been exploited by middlemen who charged between ₦3,000 and ₦5,000 for APER forms, while some unscrupulous individuals allegedly produced fake forms and sold them at inflated prices, causing financial loss to both workers and the government.
“The governor, Dr. Agbu Kefas, approved a yearly deduction of ₦3,000 so that genuine APER forms can be centrally produced and distributed to all civil servants,” Machoko said, adding that annual completion of the forms is mandatory for effective assessment. He also recalled that in 2024, Governor Kefas approved the free production and distribution of APER forms as a palliative measure to ease workers’ financial burden.
However, investigations by Democracy Newsline revealed that a large number of civil servants are deeply unhappy with the policy, insisting that the government has no justification for deducting money from workers’ already stretched salaries.
Several workers who spoke anonymously accused the state government of neglecting their welfare.
They argued that APER forms are an administrative responsibility of the government and should be provided free of charge, especially considering that civil servants contribute significantly to the state’s internally generated revenue.
“Despite the deductions taken from our salaries every year, the government still finds reasons to deduct more. There is no excuse for not providing these forms free,” one senior officer said.
Another civil servant accused Governor Kefas of running the administration without adequate consideration for workers’ welfare, noting that many civil servants survive on loans, debts, and salary advances due to rising living costs.
“We are seriously disturbed. ₦3,000 may look small to the government, but to workers already struggling with rent, school fees, and food, it is a heavy burden,” the officer added.
Many workers believe the decision reflects a broader pattern of hardship under the current administration, describing the policy as ill-timed and insensitive to the economic realities faced by civil servants in Taraba State.
As discontent continues to grow, civil servants are calling on the governor to reconsider the policy and restore confidence by prioritizing workers’ welfare, which they say is critical to effective and motivated public service delivery.
(DEMOCRACY NEWSLINE NEWSPAPER, FEBRUARY 3RD 2026)
