Benue govt uncovers 2,500 ghost teachers, LGA staff, saves N1.2bn

The Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, said on Friday the state government has uncovered 2500 ghost workers in teachers and local councils staff payrolls in the state.

The governor, who stated this during the All Progressives Congress (APC) Extraordinary Stakeholders Meeting in Makurdi, said the discovery saved the government of N1.2 billon that would have into the payment of non-existing workers’ salaries in the state.

He added that the government made the discovery during the first phase of verification of primary and secondary school teachers as well as local council staff payrolls.

According to him, the verification team discovered ghost workers, ghost schools, double- dipping, unlawful employment, salary padding, payment to dead or retired individuals and unlawful replacement.

Alia revealed that the state government was now paying N800 million as against N1.6 billion that was paid by the previous administration to the teachers in the state.

READ ALSO: Ortom drags Benue govt to court over asset recovery move

He said his administration would reform the state’s civil service, adding that the verification showed that staff on Grade Level 9 were ahead of those on grade levels 14 to 16 in some cases.

The governor also said he met an empty treasury and 90 percent of government offices including the Government House were in shambles.

He said: “I opened all the books and there was nothing inside financially. I started from ground zero.

“I don’t even have a governor’s car. The Assembly members are yet to receive theirs 28 days into office.

“I don’t need to complain because I knew that things were wrong before I applied for the job. If there is crisis in APC the state will suffer. We came to fix the broken system.”

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