In what could be described as a major breakthrough in the fight against fraud in the public sector, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Akwa Ibom State has uncovered over 2,000 ghost workers following a thorough physical verification exercise of civil servants. This revelation is set to have far-reaching implications for the integrity of the state’s civil service system and the management of public funds.
Comrade Alpha Marshall, the Secretary of the NLC in Akwa Ibom, shared the shocking details during an appearance on the Super Breakfast Show on XL106.9FM, Uyo, on Tuesday, January 14, 2025. Marshall explained that the exercise, which aimed to verify the true number of employees in the state’s public sector, revealed a staggering number of fictitious workers who were on the payroll without ever having worked for the state.
According to Marshall, only 51,700 out of the 55,120 workers initially recorded on government records were actually verified. This discrepancy of over 2,000 ghost workers, who had been receiving salaries despite not being present or employed, raises serious concerns about the mismanagement of state funds and the vulnerability of the public service sector to exploitation.
“This exercise has been a very eye-opening experience,” said Marshall. “Over 2,000 ghost workers have been identified, people who have been drawing salaries without contributing to the state’s development. This is a wake-up call for all of us involved in public administration. We must ensure that the system is transparent and accountable.”
The physical verification exercise, which was initiated by Governor Umo Eno, was praised by the NLC for its transparency and thoroughness. According to Marshall, the exercise was well-organized and allowed for a detailed check on the actual presence of civil servants in their workplaces. The NLC Secretary commended the governor’s commitment to cleaning up the system and ensuring that only legitimate workers are paid by the state.
“This verification process is not just a check of workers; it is a measure to ensure that the right people are getting paid for the work they do,” Marshall continued. “We commend Governor Umo Eno for his commitment to making sure that public resources are only directed toward actual workers, and not to ghost workers.”
The NLC’s report on the exercise is now complete, and the final findings are expected to be submitted to Governor Umo Eno. While the results have already led to the identification of fraudulent entries in the payroll, the NLC is also planning a second round of verification for those whose records showed discrepancies, particularly regarding mismatched details linked to the National Identification Number (NIN). The NLC Secretary stressed that despite the rescheduled exercise, the full report will still be presented to the governor as planned.
“We are already working on rescheduling the verification for those workers whose data showed inconsistencies with their National Identification Number. But this does not stop the submission of the comprehensive report to the governor. We will ensure that the exercise is as exhaustive as possible,” Marshall assured.
In addition to rooting out ghost workers, the exercise has brought to light broader issues within the public sector, including inefficiencies in data management and inadequate oversight mechanisms. These challenges had, until now, allowed fraud to thrive unchecked within the civil service.
Governor Umo Eno, who has been vocal about his commitment to the welfare of civil servants, had promised to implement the N80,000 minimum wage for all public sector workers in Akwa Ibom once the verification exercise was completed. This promise was part of his ongoing efforts to boost the morale of public servants and ensure they receive their due entitlements without delays or discrepancies. Following the exercise, the governor is expected to fulfill this promise, and civil servants who have been validated will receive their pay promptly.
“Governor Umo Eno has consistently demonstrated his commitment to improving the living conditions of workers in Akwa Ibom. With the completion of this exercise, we now expect the governor to keep his promise of paying the N80,000 minimum wage to all eligible civil servants,” said Marshall.
As the government begins to take steps to address the fallout from this revelation, many are questioning the extent to which ghost workers have impacted the state’s finances over the years. If left unchecked, such fraud could have drained the state’s resources, leaving less money for critical projects such as infrastructure development, healthcare, and education.
In response to the findings, some observers have called for more robust mechanisms to monitor the payroll system regularly, as well as for the implementation of biometric data collection methods to prevent future occurrences of ghost workers. There is also a growing demand for greater accountability from those who were responsible for maintaining the payroll records in the first place.
This situation also raises broader questions about the effectiveness of similar systems in other states across Nigeria. Many local and state governments in the country continue to struggle with ghost workers, leading to the siphoning off of public funds. The Akwa Ibom experience could serve as a model for other states to follow in order to rid the civil service of corruption and inefficiencies that have long plagued Nigeria’s public sector.
In a statement released after the broadcast, the NLC reiterated its support for the governor’s efforts to reform the civil service and vowed to continue working closely with the state government to ensure that all public workers receive their rightful wages. “We will continue to push for greater transparency in the civil service, and we will hold those responsible for fraudulent practices accountable,” the NLC declared.
