Kano state government Tuesday said it has discovered 7, 629 ghost workers on the payroll of the government in the on-going biometric exercise for civil servants in the state.
The Head of Service, Malam Muhammad Awwal Na’Iya, who disclosed during a joint press conference with Commissioner for Information, Malam Muhammad Garba, said that the state was able to save overN283, 580, and 848.44 from the blocked ghost workers.
Na’Iya said that the state presently has a workforce of over 150, 000 civil servants, while it pays over N8 billion as monthly salary.
He explained that 17 staff were also discovered to be collecting double salary amounting to over N1 million per month, adding that investigation into their matter was on as they will face prosecution and be made to return state fund soonest.
He also explained that 86, 373 civil servants were captured in the on-ogoing biometric exercise which he said will be continuous, “what we are having today is an interim briefing on the exercise. We want to say that since February the exercise started, we have not had any problem and we promise to keep you posted as we move on.”
According to him, despite the dwindling financial resources facing the country, Kano state government has been able to pay workers’ salaries as at when due, “as I am speaking to you now, we are not owing workers in the state and we promise to ensure that workers’ welfare are always taking care of.”
The Head of Service, however, warned civil servants who are collaborating with fraudulent elements to aid and abet collection of double salaries to desist from such act or be ready to receive their sack letters and face prosecution.
He further noted that staff who were not captured in the on-going biometric data capture would be deleted from the payroll of Kano state government, adding that, “the exercise is still ongoing, however, concerted efforts are being made to ensure its successful completion soonest.”
