Guardian

THE report of the biometric data investigation into the workforce of the 17 local government councils of Abia State, which was submitted to Governor Theodore Orji, at the weekend, revealed that not less than 1,727 ghost workers were discovered.

This number allegedly did not report or show up for capturing during the biometric verification exercise hence they were believed to be ghost workers.

Chairman of the Biometric Data Implementation Committee and Chief of Staff to the governor, Mr. Cosmos Ndukwe said that Aba South Council with 245 ghost workers topped the list followed by Isialangwa South with 153, and Osisioma Ngwa 138 ghost workers.

Others were Ikwuano , 117,  Umuahia North, 123, Umuahia South, 101, Isiala Ngwa  North, 92, Umunneochi, 65,  while Ugwuanagbo LGA had the least with 28 ghost workers.

The Committee consequently recommended that these 1727 workers, who failed to show up for verification be removed from the pay rolls of the councils.

Other recommendations of the Committee were that further but full scale verification exercise be conducted in all the data already captured so as to address, what he called, the apparent errors of omissions and commissions.

He suggested that the Local Government Service Commission, the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs and the Office of the Auditor General for Local Government should handle the verification exercise.

According to Ndukwe the verification exercise should investigate the personnel and financial payroll of councils with the shortfalls in May, June and July 2012 salaries of workers paid in line with the biometric reports.

The Committee said this is to alleviate the sufferings of genuine workers who were affected by the non-payment of the arrears of salary adding that it conducted on -the -spot verification of all council workers in the state.

Apparently happy with the report, the governor expressed disappointment that those employed to fight corruption turned to encourage it stressing that lack of funds remained the major challenge of government hence he vowed to plug all loop holes through which public funds are siphoned.

While explaining that those that were supposed to work for government positioned selves there to undermine government, Orji accused at top council officials including local government heads of services, heads of Personnel, accountants, auditors, as well as, the local government workers union officials of complicity.

“It is a known fact that in the local governments there are many ghost workers, yet they are protected. It is a know fact that salaries are padded yet it goes on unabated, and any person, who comes to correct it is seen as an enemy.”