In a significant development, Governor Alex Otti announced that a staggering 2,300 ghost workers have been identified in the state during the ongoing biometric verification of civil servants and public servants. This revelation comes as a result of Governor Otti’s commitment to combat the pervasive issue of ghost workers syndrome, which he emphasized during his inaugural speech on May 29.
The Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Kazie Uko, issued a statement highlighting the remarkable progress made by the State Government in curbing this problem. According to the statement, the verification exercise has resulted in monthly savings of over N200 million in the wage bill.
The State Accountant General, Deaconess Njum Onyemenam, praised the implementation of a unified payment system, which played a crucial role in achieving these substantial savings. Speaking after a meeting with Governor Otti, Onyemenam emphasized that the verification process is still underway, with the expectation of further cost reductions.
“On-going verification of workers in the state, local governments, and pensioners has allowed us to save N220 million so far. By utilizing the unified payment system, we successfully removed 2,300 ghost names from the payrolls. We anticipate identifying more as the exercise continues,” stated the Accountant General.
Moreover, the statement confirmed that the government promptly addressed salary arrears left behind by the previous administration. Acting on Governor Otti’s directive, the government disbursed April salaries and June pensions to retirees last week. This action demonstrates Otti’s commitment to ensuring that workers and pensioners receive their rightful entitlements.
The Accountant General also reassured local government staff members who were omitted from the June salary payments. Their exclusion was due to their failure to submit the required verified payment schedules. However, Onyemenam confirmed that these employees would receive their salaries during the current week.
The biometric verification exercise spearheaded by Governor Otti has proven to be a resounding success in exposing and eliminating ghost workers. The substantial savings achieved through this process will undoubtedly contribute to the state’s economic development and resource allocation for crucial public services.
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