The Zamfara State Government, revealed that it uncovered 2,363 ghost workers during a comprehensive verification exercise of civil and public servants in the state.
Governor Dauda Lawal initiated the verification process in August 2024, appointing a committee led by the Head of Service to conduct the audit.
The verification aimed to ensure transparency and address concerns surrounding the state’s payroll system, particularly in light of the upcoming implementation of the N70,000 minimum wage.
A statement from the governor’s spokesperson, Sulaiman Idris, outlined the key findings of the exercise, which exposed irregularities in the employment of certain individuals.
Among those discovered were 220 minors who had been receiving monthly pay as civil servants.
Idris noted, “The committee’s final report, submitted to Governor Dauda Lawal, detailed that 27,109 permanent workers were verified and cleared.
However, the audit also revealed 2,363 ghost workers, 1,082 employees nearing retirement, 395 contract staff, 261 workers not listed on the nominal roll, 213 on study leave, 220 minors employed, and 67 individuals on secondment.”
The report also highlighted discrepancies in the employment records, with 75 workers found to have been hired under questionable circumstances, including being employed as minors.
The ghost workers alone were receiving a total of N193,642,097.19 in monthly salaries.
Additional findings showed that 1,082 workers nearing retirement were still drawing a collective sum of N80,542,298.26 monthly.
Meanwhile, five workers on secondment were paid N354,927.60 each month.
Furthermore, the committee discovered 12 workers on the payroll who were not found in the official database, totaling a monthly salary of N726,594.
In light of these findings, the verification committee recommended the suspension of 207 workers whose employment records could not be verified, costing the state N16,370,645.90 monthly.
The Zamfara State Government has vowed to continue the verification process to ensure accountability and integrity in the workforce, particularly as the implementation of the new minimum wage begins in March 2025.
