Niger saves N672m monthly paid to ghost workers, others – Commissioner

The Niger state government has said that it has blocked loopholes through which over N672 million monthly was paid to ghost workers and other fictitious salary earners in the civil service.

Chairman of Salary Management Committee and Commissioner for Works and Infrastructural Development, Ibrahim Panti, disclosed this in Minna, while speaking on reasons for the delay in the payment of June salaries.

The commissioner said the discovery of the humongous amount that it pays to non-existent workers is the major reason for the delay in the payment of June salary in the state and has warranted the ongoing screening of civil servants.

He lamented the level of corruption in the state’s civil service even though 98 per cent of the government’s expenditure goes into salary payment, leaving almost nothing for the development of the state.

Panti, who was optimistic of getting positive results from the screening, revealed that 30 per cent of civil servants invited for screening failed to show up for the exercise, adding that many workers with fake academic certificates were also discovered during the exercise.

He said that “a list of about 36,000 civil servants was presented to the committee; when we started the screening we brought it down to 27,000 and again to 25,000. We later discovered different serial numbers with the same BVN, repeated names with different bank accounts and fictitious allowances and salaries,” he stated.

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The commissioner assured that those found wanting will surely face the wrath of the law according to the civil service rules and regulations as appropriate recommendations would be made to government in its report on financial misappropriation of public funds.

Panti further revealed that the exercise was going smoothly in spite of threats from some quarters, but however, assured that the screening committee wouldn’t be deterred from doing the right thing.

He added that some of those involved have started putting up their resignation letters, but said they will be hunted and brought to book no matter their position.

According to him, some of the suspects have sought the intervention of traditional rulers on their behalf, while others have resorted to blackmailing the screening committee.