Ebonyi State government has expressed happiness on the significant progress at the just concluded three days state and local government workers verification exercise as it recovers N60 million from ghost workers in the state.
According to the governor of the state, David Umahi, the aim of the exercise was to fish out all ghost workers especially among teachers and other categories of workers in the state.
Umahi in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Emmanuel Uzor, the exercise will be on until all ghost workers or workers who benefit from illegal multiple payments are flushed out to create room for more employment opportunities.
Uzor also added that the state government had procured the services of financial institutions with bias in ICT to deploy BVN in the months ahead so as to track down all the ghost workers. He also said those found culpable will face prosecution.
Uzor, however, charged the ghost workers to utilise the opportunity of the amnesty given to them to surrender and negotiate the repayment of all illegally collected funds to state and local governments so as to avoid facing prosecution. According to him all ghost workers who took money unduely from state and local government areas will face the law and all monies taken will be recovered.
Meanwhile, Uzor noted that Governor Umahi has directed that workers salaries, pensioners and other entitlement of the month of August be paid using only the approved verification documents authored by the Head of Service, Dr. Chamberlain Nwele.
The statement reads “I am directed by His Excellency, Engr Dr. David Nweze that the state government is happy to announce that it has made significant progress as this verification exercise has so far saved the state and local government areas close to N60m for one month.
“This exercise will be a regular one until all ghost workers or workers who benefit from illegal multiple payments are flushed out to create room for more employment opportunities for our brothers and sisters.
“The Governor, therefore, directs state and local government areas to start immediate payment of all workers’ salaries, pension and other entitlements for the month of August 2019, using the approved verification documents authored by the Head of Service only. All stakeholders in charge of payments should take note and act accordingingly.
“We have however procured the services of financial institutions with bias in ICT to deploy BVN in the months ahead to track down these ghost workers to enable them to face prosecution.
“All ghost workers who took money unduly from state and local government areas will face the law and all monies taken will be recovered.
“However, we are giving amnesty to all ghost workers between 30th August to 10th September 2019 to surrender and negotiate the repayment of all illegally collected funds to state and local governments and such persons will not face any prosecution.”
