In a recent revelation, the Benue State government has uncovered a staggering number of 2,500 ghost workers from the payroll of various local government areas within the state.
This shocking discovery was made public by Governor Hyacinth Alia in a press statement released on Thursday through his Chief Press Secretary, Kula Tersoo. The state, known for its 23 local governments, has been plagued by this fraudulent scheme.
Governor Alia shed light on the reasons behind the delay in salary payments for teachers in primary and post-primary schools, as well as local government staff. He stated that a comprehensive effort to sanitize and rectify the manipulations left behind by the previous administration was necessary.
Through a thorough probe into the activities of local governments during the past administration, it was revealed that the wage bills were padded and the payroll system manipulated.
In the official statement, Governor Alia expressed, “The decision to delay salary payments was made after our government discovered the mindless padding of the wage bill and other fraudulent manipulations within the payroll.
“This decision became imperative to allow the government to clean and restore integrity to the payroll, determine the accurate wage bill of the state, and identify genuine workers who deserve their wages.”
“The first phase of an extensive staff verification and payroll audit for all teachers and local government staff has just been concluded, and it has already uncovered over 2500 ghost workers that have already been removed from the payroll.
“He identifies ghost workers, ghost schools, double dipping, unlawful employment, salary padding, payment to dead or retired individuals, unlawful replacement, and inflation of the wage bill, as some of the payroll infractions discovered from the audit.
“He assures that workers who were successfully screened will receive their salaries before the end of this week, noting that government is not only fishing out ghosts workers and removing the padding associated with payroll fraud but also putting in measures to ensure the systems are protected going forward.”
To facilitate a thorough investigation into allegations of maladministration within the council areas, Governor Alia has temporarily suspended all 23 local government chairmen. This decisive action aims to ensure a comprehensive inquiry by the State Assembly, leaving no stone unturned in the pursuit of justice and good governance.
The uncovering of 2,500 ghost workers in Benue State’s local government payroll marks a significant step towards eradicating corruption and strengthening the state’s financial systems.
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