Sokoto government grants amnesty to 8,000 suspected ghost workers

The Sokoto State government has granted amnesty to about 8,000 suspected ghost workers and those collecting abnormal salaries under its payroll.

Alhaji Abdussamad Dasuki, the Finance Commissioner and Acting Chairman, Sokoto State Steering Committee on Integrated Payroll and Internally Generated Revenue (IGR),made this known during a news conference on Thursday in Sokoto.

Dasuki said the initiative was to enable civil servants collecting salaries they don’t earn and those engaged in improper practices against regulations to come forward and open up under confidentiality and guaranteed state pardon. He said that the period of the amnesty began from Nov. 27, to end on Dec. 9, 2019, by 12 midnight.

“Government is, therefore, calling on those concerned to avail themselves of this initiative. “At the end of this period-appropriate sanctions will be meted out to those found wanting in accordance with Civil Service Rules and relevant laws,” he said.

The commissioner added that in the course of the committee’s activities, a lot of wrongdoings were discovered.

“These include suspected ghost workers, wrong computation of salaries, and inappropriate and inflated implementation of salary scales of certain cadres of civil servants. “Similarly, civil servants or members of the public with relevant information that can assist in the discovery and/or resolution of problems in the payroll system are invited to approach the committee.

“However, this is with the assurance of confidentiality and reward where appropriate. “Those willing to cooperate can contact the committee directly or reach out through the following phone numbers: 08105475900, 08144885521 08106010490,” he said.

According to Dasuki, they can also reach the committee through any of its members, member of the State Executive Council, Special Advisers, Permanent Secretaries or Directors-General, with an equal guarantee of secrecy and appreciation.