The Jigawa State Government has announced the discovery of around 7,000 ghost workers during a verification process of state employees across different agencies and departments.
During an interview with journalists to commemorate Governor Umar Namadi’s two-year anniversary in office, the state Commissioner for Finance, Hannatu Sabo, disclosed this on Wednesday in Dutse, the state capital.
Sabo states that the ghost workers declined to come forward for verification, resulting in their removal from the payroll.
“The employees who were not real were taken off the payroll as they did not show up for the verification exercise.
She emphasised, “The verification exercise and the removal of ghost workers from the payroll have also demonstrated the government’s commitment to transparency and accountability.”
The commissioner credited the successful verification to the government’s initiatives aimed at workforce optimization and the eradication of fraudulent activities.
She emphasized, “The Jigawa State Government’s initiatives to eradicate ghost workers and optimize its workforce reflect its dedication to transparency and accountability.”
She added, “The exercise also resulted in the recruitment of new staff under the J-Health, J-Teach, and J-Agro programmes.”
Sabo emphasized the government’s dedication to ensuring its employees receive respectable remuneration, noting that the state is financing 100 percent of the new salary framework, thus ranking among the nation’s highest-paying states.
The commissioner disclosed that, aside from the salary payments, the state has received supplementary funds from the Federal Government, which will enhance the state’s revenue further.
“The additional funds we have received from the Federal Government through the monthly allocation to the state and local government councils will significantly support our development projects,” she stated.
The commissioner further disclosed that the Jigawa State Government has shown its dedication to punctual salary payments by ensuring that employees receive their salaries before the 25th of each month, in accordance with the governor’s directive.
“As per the governor’s directive, we are disbursing salaries to employees before the 25th of each month,” Sabo stated.
She stated that the government has invested significantly in multiple sectors, such as education and energy, declaring that “Jigawa State Government under the leadership of Governor Namadi has purchased a privately owned Khadija University in Majia, and the government has also acquired shares in the Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO) for the benefit of the state’s citizens.
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“Buying Khadija University and acquiring shares in KEDCO are anticipated to enhance the state’s income and elevate the quality of education and electricity provision. Additionally, the government’s backing of microfinance banks will extend financial services to a greater number of people, particularly those in rural regions.
She remarked that within the two years of Namadi’s current administration, the state government has backed microfinance banks in certain local governments and intends to establish branches in all other local governments lacking banks.
“The governor has mandated the establishment of microfinance bank branches in all local governments that currently lack banks,” Sabo added.
