The Abia State Governor, Alex Otti has sacked at least two thousand and three hundred ghost workers in the state.
Oti announced that over N200 million was saved in monthly salary bills following the ongoing verification of civil servants and other public officials and the removal of over 2,300 ghost workers from the state payroll.
The development was according to a statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to Otti, Kazi Uko, on Monday.
Uko, quoting the state Accountant General, Njum Onyemenam, disclosed that the savings were achieved through the single payment system.
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She confirmed that workers received salaries for April, and pensioners received pensions for June.
See the full statement below:
“PRESS RELEASE
“ABIA IDENTIFIES 2,300 GHOST NAMES ON PAYROLL, SAVES OVER N200 MILLION MONTHLY
“The Abia State Government says it has saved over N200 million on monthly wage bill following ongoing verification of civil servants and other public workers in the state.
“State Accountant General, Deaconess Njum Onyemenam, said the huge savings was made using a unified payment system.
“Onyemenam, who spoke Monday after a meeting with the state Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, OFR, said the verification exercise was still ongoing and that the government hopes to make more savings.
“Accountant General said:
” ‘So far, we have been able to save N220 million from the ongoing verification of workers in the state, local governments and pensioners.
” ‘Not less than 2,300 ghost names have been weeded out of the payrolls, using the unified payment system and we hope to still identify more as we continue with the exercise.’
“She confirmed that following Governor Otti’s directive, government had last week paid the arrears of April salaries, left behind by the immediate past administration and also June pensions to retirees.
“Also, local government staff, who had been skipped when the June salaries were paid, due to their failure to submit their verified payment schedule, will receive their salaries this week.
“KAZIE UKO
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor
Abia State
July 17, 2023.”
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