Follow Us on Google
From: Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
There was disquiet in Bayelsa State Civil Service and the eight Local Government councils over the involvement of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences (ICPC) in fresh verification exercises aimed to tackle issues of wage bill fraud and ghost workers in the state.
Governor Seriake Dickson, disturbed by the high wage bill even after several verifications exercises had been carried out, had requested for the assistance of the ICPC to help solve the riddle of the Bayelsa wage bill.
This probably led to the visit of the ICPC Chairman, Mr. Ekpo Nta, to the state, recently.
The workers are currently said to be apprehensive over the filing of the ICPC forms which requires information regarding their certificate, Bank Verification Number (BVN), salary grade etc to determine genuine salary account.
According to sources, there is tension among workers due to the hint dropped by top government officials that the involvement of the ICPC in the ongoing screening exercise may lead to sack, arrest and prosecution of those found to have cheated the state government.
As part of the efforts to sanitise the Bayelsa State workforce, the State Advisory Committee on Public Service Reforms headed by a Former Military administrator of old Rivers State and the Amanayabo of Twon-Brass, King Diette-Spiff, had directed that all educational qualifications used to gain employment into the civil service be submitted and screened.
Some Government officials who spoke on condition of anonymity on the fears being expressed by workers said the decision to involve ICPC was provoked by some wage Bill fraudsters in the service adding that the screening exercise was not meant to witch hunt genuine workers of the State.
Meanwhile the State Advisory committee on Public Service Reform has confirmed that those found guilty of absenteeism and wage bill fraud would be sanctioned.
