Enugu State Discovers 3,916 Ghost Workers

Enugu State Government says it has discovered no fewer than 3,916 ghost workers in the 17 local government areas of the state.

The discovery was made during the biometric capture exercise conducted in the state.

Edward Ubosi, the Chairman of the Local Government Staff Audit Panel, made the disclosure in Enugu on Wednesday while presenting its report to Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.

Ubosi who is also the Speaker, Enugu State House of Assembly, said that government would save N161.5 million monthly as a result of the discovery.

According to him, N64.9m will be saved from local government gross staff salaries and N96.6m from teachers’ salaries.

The committee made 26 recommendations, including removal of staff that falsified their ages, those incapacitated by ill health, impersonators, as well as those employed contrary to the civil service rule.

It also recommended recruitment of more teachers in primary schools in the state and transfer of local government staff across the state to enthrone discipline in the system.

Receiving the report, the governor commended the audit panel for a job well done, saying that the report would go a long way in the ongoing efforts to track down ghost workers in the state public service.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the panel was set up a year ago by Gov. Ugwuanyi.