UYO – Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, has revealed that no fewer than 2,000 ghost workers were being paid through the state’s payroll system before his administration disengaged salary consultants handling the process.
He was giving the disclosure at an interaction with journalists recently in Uyo, describing the discovery as part of efforts to strengthen financial accountability and block revenue leakages.
Governor Eno highlighted measures such as the Treasury Single Account (TSA) introduced by his administration to reform the state’s financial management system and ensure that public funds are utilized for genuine development purposes.
According to the governor, the decision to disengage the consultants followed the discovery of irregularities in the payroll structure, which allowed thousands of non-existent workers to receive salaries from government coffers.
He noted that the reforms were aimed at sanitizing the civil service payroll, enhancing transparency and eliminating wasteful expenditure inherited from previous arrangements.
The governor explained that by taking direct control of salary administration and instituting stricter verification processes, his administration had succeeded in removing the ghost workers from the payroll, thereby saving substantial public funds for critical government programmes and infrastructure development.
Eno stressed that prudent management of state resources remains a key pillar of his administration’s governance agenda, adding that every kobo saved from leakages would be redirected to projects that improve the welfare of citizens.
He reaffirmed his commitment to strengthening accountability mechanisms across government institutions, maintaining that reforms in payroll administration, procurement and public finance management were necessary to build a more efficient and responsive public service.
The governor further assured residents that his administration would continue to review existing systems to prevent fraud, eliminate inefficiencies and ensure that government resources are deployed for the benefit of the people of Akwa Ibom State.
Observers say the revelation underscores ongoing efforts by the Eno administration to tighten financial controls and strengthen governance structures in a bid to safeguard public funds and promote transparency in government operations.
