Ghost Workers: Enugu State Begins BVN-Backed Verification

Posted by African Examiner Enugu, Latest Headlines, News From The State Monday, March 28th, 2016

By Ignatius Okpara, Enugu

As part of strategy to checkmate ghost workers, in its public service, the Enugu state Government, has directed the immediate biometric capturing of her entire workforce and pensioners using Bank Verification Number (BVN).

Commissioner in charge of Ministry of Information, Dr. Godwin Udeuhele, who made this known to newsmen weekend in Enugu after the 6th State Executive Council meeting said that the office of Head of Service and that of Ministry of Finance had been mandated to collaborate with United Bank for Africa (UBA) PLC, to carry out the exercise with no cost to the State government.

Udeuhele explained that the exercise had become necessary in view of the bloated workforce and wage bills paid by the government despite the fact that workers have been retiring from the service on a yearly basis.

According to him, when this is done, the revenue profile of government was expected to increase to take care of her other human-oriented programmes and policies.

The Commissioner added that the State’s EXCO had in the meeting approved the constitution of the Tender Board to manage the process of contract awards for “UBEC/ENSUBEB projects as contained in the approved action plan in line with government due process arrangement.

Udeuhele also disclosed that Enugu State Government had approved its participation in the Archor Borrowers Programme of the Central Bank of Nigeria CBN meant to diversify the state economy.

The Commissioner stated that this was necessitated by the dwindling income from the oil sector, noting that when this is done, it would create job opportunities for the teeming job seekers in the State.

Each local government area he indicated, is expected to provide at least, 100 hectares of land for the Archor Borrowers Programme of the Nigeria’s apex bank.