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From Abdulrazaq Mungadi, Gombe
The Gombe State government has commenced a comprehensive physical verification exercise for civil servants across ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) as part of ongoing reforms under the administration of Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya.
The flag-off ceremony, held at the premises of the Civil Service Commission in Gombe, was presided over by the Chairperson of the Commission, Mrs Rabi Shuaibu Jimeta. She said the exercise is aimed at sanitising the state’s workforce and building a digital database that would enhance accountability, payroll integrity, and efficient human resource management.
According to her, the verification is designed to “establish the actual number and status of existing directorates, detect and address cases of ghost workers, identify officers on secondment or leave of absence, and update personnel records for future planning”. She emphasised that the absence of an up-to-date personnel database had long undermined manpower planning in the state, citing issues such as missing files, unaccounted officers, and overstayed employees.
“This initiative is part of the Inuwa Yahaya administration’s broader reform agenda. We are determined to build a digital database where civil servants’ records can be accessed securely and transparently,” she stated.
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In an interview, Mrs Jimeta disclosed that about 7,000 civil servants are expected to undergo the verification, which will span approximately eight weeks. She clarified that the exercise covers only state civil servants and excludes workers in the judiciary, education, and health sectors, who operate under separate management boards.
Labour unions in the state have also thrown their weight behind the initiative. Speaking during the launch, the Gombe State chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Yusuf Ash Bello, commended the process, noting that at least 200 personnel will be verified daily. He revealed that the system will integrate biometric data such as BVN, NIN, and PSN to synchronise records and prevent future manipulation.
He added that the verification will expose ghost workers and address stagnation and fraudulent documentation. “We won’t defend any ghost worker or anyone with forged certificates. The goal is to clean up the system and make room for genuine employment opportunities,” he said.
Meanwhile, officials of the Civil Service Commission assured that the verification exercise is expected to mark a decisive step toward a fully digitised and transparent civil service in Gombe State.
