Committee Clears 1,410 Workers For Immediate Payment

 

The Chairman of the Taraba State Staff Verification Committee, Alhaji Abdulkadir Haruna, has revealed shocking details of massive payroll fraud involving thousands of ghost workers in the state civil service.

Speaking while submitting the committee's report to Governor Agbu Kefas at the TY Danjuma House in Jalingo, Alhaji Haruna disclosed that 7,800 individuals on the state's payroll were discovered to have no records of employment, describing them as "fake civil servants not employed into the Taraba State Civil Service but receiving salaries."

He explained that out of the 7,800 workers flagged during the verification exercise, only 1,410 were successfully cleared and are now awaiting payment of their outstanding entitlements.

According to him, the committee also discovered cases of gross overpayment, with some civil servants receiving excess salaries running into millions of naira last month. He stressed that strict corrective measures must be taken to sanitize the system and prevent further abuse.

Alhaji Haruna recommended that all cleared workers be immediately automated into the civil service payroll to ensure seamless and transparent payment going forward.

Responding, Governor Agbu Kefas directed the immediate payment of entitlements for all workers verified and cleared by the committee. He commended the verification team for what he described as a thorough and courageous assignment despite the challenges encountered.

The Governor emphasized that no government can succeed when proper processes are ignored, insisting that the reforms being undertaken are critical for accountability and sustainable governance.

He further instructed the committee to screen individuals who were "wrongly employed" and make provisions for their proper re-engagement into the civil service where necessary.

It will be recalled that about 7,800 workers were removed from the state payroll five months ago following the commencement of a comprehensive verification exercise aimed at cleaning up the public service.

Governor Kefas noted that posterity will judge the present administration for restoring order and ensuring that the right people are placed in the right positions within the state workforce.