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From Scholastica Onyeka, Makurdi
Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, said his administration has, so far, uncovered over 2,500 ghost workers in the state wage bill.
This was contained in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Tersoo Kula, and made available to newsmen in Makurdi, on Thursday.
Alia, who promised prompt payment of salaries Benue workers when he takes over government, had embarked on an extensive staff verification and payroll audit for all teachers and local government staff in the state.
The Governor said at the conclusion of the first phase of exercise, over 2,500 ghost workers have been uncovered and removed from the payroll.
He said during the audit, government uncovered ghost workers, ghost schools, double dipping, unlawful employment, salary padding, payment to dead or retired individuals, unlawful replacement, inflation of the wage bill, among some other payroll infractions.
He assured that, workers who were successfully screened will receive their salaries before the end of this week, adding 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.
Alia expressed regrets over the delay in payment of salaries of teachers in primary and secondary schools, as well as the Local Government staff explaining that the delay followed government’s discovery of mindless padding of the wage bill, and other fraudulent manipulations on their payroll.
The Governor who told Benue workers to get ready to smile said he needed the time to enable him sanitize and cleanse the payroll to ascertain the true wage bill of the state and genuine workers that are worth their wages.
