By Charly Agwam

Bauchi Bank Verification Committee, set up by Governor Bala Mohammed to fish out ghost workers said it has discovered 596 dead staff and pensioners on the state payroll.

Briefing newsmen in Bauchi on Monday, Chairman of the Committee, Adamu Gumba disclosed that during the 3 months assignment that screened 30,226 people in the state, 4,578 people did not appear before the Committee to be verified.

He noted that a total of 24,736 people, comprising state workers, local government workers and pensioners have been verified and cleared by the committee and have started receiving their salaries and allowances.

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His words: “Out of the 30,226 people that we screened, 24,736 have been cleared for payment. We discovered that 596 dead people were on the payroll. For those who did not show up, maybe they will have another chance to be verified by the implementation committee to be set up. I think they are suspects and everything must be done to identify them.

“If the entire 130,000 workers in the state and local governments, including pensioners, are verified, more ghost workers will be discovered because logically, if we could uncover ghost workers from the 30,226 people, how much more will be discovered if the entire number were verified.”

He further assured that all those verified and cleared by the committee but have yet to receive their 3 months salaries and allowances will now be paid without any further delay.

Vanguard News Nigeria