The Zamfara State Government has uncovered a total of 2,363 ghost workers following a thorough verification exercise of civil and public servants in the state.
Governor Dauda Lawal initiated the verification process in August 2024 by setting up a committee, led by the state’s Head of Service, with the goal of sanitizing the state’s payroll system.
In a statement released by the governor’s spokesperson, Sulaiman Idris, the results of the exercise revealed numerous shocking irregularities, including the discovery of 220 minors who had been fraudulently employed and were receiving salaries as civil servants.
The verification exercise, which was part of the state government’s commitment to implementing the new N70,000 minimum wage and ensuring greater accountability in the public service, uncovered the following issues:
- 2,363 ghost workers, receiving a total of N193,642,097.19 per month.
- 1,082 civil servants who were due for retirement but were still drawing N80,542,298.26 monthly.
- 395 contract staff and 261 employees not listed on the nominal roll.
- 213 workers on study leave, with 67 on secondment.
- 220 minors who were unlawfully employed, with 75 of them falsifying their appointment dates to avoid detection.
Additionally, the committee recommended the suspension of 207 workers who failed to undergo the verification process, noting they collectively received N16,370,645.90 monthly. The report also identified 12 individuals drawing salaries despite not being in the government’s database, amounting to N726,594 per month.
Idris emphasized that this verification exercise is part of an ongoing initiative aimed at ensuring greater transparency and accountability in Zamfara State’s civil service, particularly in light of the upcoming implementation of the new minimum wage in March 2025.
The governor’s office remains committed to further strengthening the payroll system and rooting out corruption, while ensuring that state resources are properly allocated to deserving and verified personnel.
