ON THE ISSUE OF GHOST WORKERS AND THE ENDLESS STAFF VERIFICATION IN KADUNA STATE
ON THE ISSUE OF GHOST WORKERS AND THE ENDLESS STAFF VERIFICATION IN KADUNA STATE
By:
Nurudeen Dauda
June 30, 2016
nurudeendauda24@gmail.com
nurudeendauda24@yahoo.com
nurudeendauda.blpgspot.com
Why would a genuine worker be afraid of staff verification? Why is it that Bayelsa State the “least” populated state in Nigeria (1.7million, 2006 Population Census) and the 3rd in Revenue allocation in Nigeria engaged in Staff verification despite the fact that the governor who won the election succeeded himself as second timer? Why did Beyelsa state collect bail-out as well as owe its staff salaries arrears?
Some people have repeatedly argued that there is nothing called “GHOST WORKERS”. Ghost is literally defined as “the spirit of a dead person that a living person believes they can see or hear” Every English word has two (2) meanings (1) Literal meaning, and (2) Technical meaning. The word Ghost in “Hausa language” is called “FATALWA”. Everybody knows that in actual sense there is nothing called “Ghost”, but technically GHOST WORKERS mean those workers who did not exist in reality, but somebody someone collects salaries from the government for the none existing workers.
When government talks about Ghost workers it does not mean that all Staff are “Ghost” what it means is that some “DISHONEST STAFF” especially from Finance, Account, Payroll and Personnel Departments receive money from the government for none existing staff.
Why is it that, for instance, if the Federal Government ,Benue ,Niger, Bauchi, Nasarawa, Imo,Oyo and Bayelsa states etc., say they discover Ghost workers we believe the story?
“Oyo state government had announced the suspension of over 16,000 civil servants for incrimination in different illegal cases, including multiple salaries, age falsification, defective biometric verification numbers, among others. The government had decided to sue the suspects after further verifications.” (Daily Trust; June30, 2016).
“It is simplistic as well as lazy academics to say that workers were not paid their salaries, but it is an intellect to ask why were not paid?”. Why don’t you ask how much your state get from federal Allocation before and now that the price of crude oil has collapsed from as “high” as $115 per barrel in June,2014 to as “low” as $27 in January,2016? Why don’t you ask how much do my state need to pay staff salaries every month? Why don’t you ask how much will remain for the remaining 98% Non Civil Servants for projects such roads, shools, and hospitals etc.?
According to 2006 population census Kaduna state has 6million people. According available records there are about 27,000 (0.45% of 6million) states government workers whose monthly salaries is N2.2billion. In the month of April, Kaduna State received N2.4billion as state allocation. We have about 60,000 workers (1% of 6million) of the 23 local Governments who received N2.1billion; for their salaries to be paid the government needed to borrowN300million. Where is the money for capital projects for the 98% who are not Civil servants? Is it right for less than 2% to go with 98% of revenue and leave the 98% to share 2% revenue. Check www.finance.gov.ng for monthly allocation to all the 36 states.
May God bless Kaduna state!