As many as 362 ghost workers have been uncovered in the Ekiti state workforce by a screening committee set up by the Ekiti State Government, SaharaReporters reports.
Prof Adio Folayan, Commissioner for Local Government and Community Development in the state, made this known when he presented the report of the verification committee to Governor Kayode Fayemi in Ado Ekiti, the capital.
Folayan said further screening by the committee revealed that only 362 workers out of the figure were clarified to be on government’s payroll as of June this year.
He disclosed that the state government was losing about 20m monthly to the ghost workers, who are mainly in the local government areas of the state.
He added that the state’s Accountant-General had been instructed to stop the salaries of the ghost workers.
According to him, the committee has recommended that all illegal salaries earned by the affected workers should be deducted from their pension and gratuity.
The commissioner also said the ghost workers would be prosecuted for fraud with their accomplices, noting that all heads of department have been directed to enforce discipline.
Governor Fayemi while receiving the report promised to look into the recommendations for immediate implementation.