59 dead persons and 369 ghost workers on Anambra payroll – Commission 

In a shocking revelation, the Anambra State Local Government Service Commission has discovered that over 427 workers are receiving salaries from the state government without being actual staff members. The commission’s chairman, Vin Ezeaka, made the announcement during a press conference in Awka, the state capital.

According to Ezeaka, the discovery was made during a staff personnel audit aimed at sanitizing the local government system. The audit revealed that 59 staff members of the commission had died long ago but were still receiving salaries, while 40 others had retired and were still on the payroll. Additionally, 11 staff members living abroad were found to be receiving salaries despite not being actively working in the state.

The commission also uncovered 222 workers who could not be identified as staff members in any of the 21 local government areas and were still receiving salaries. Furthermore, Ezeaka revealed that some staff members of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, and Nwafor Orizu College of Education, Nsugbe, were found to be working with fake certificates.

The commission has written to the Joint Account to remove these ghost workers from the payroll, and those who have come forward to voluntarily retire have been refused. Ezeaka stated that those caught in this scam will face the full wrath of the law in accordance with civil service rules.

The chairman also revealed that a committee was set up to investigate certificate racketeering within the local government system. The committee identified several individuals who presented suspicious certificates and conducted further investigations, which revealed that six out of 14 individuals with Imo State University certificates presented fake documents.

Ezeaka emphasized that the ongoing verification exercise is not a witch-hunt but rather a move to sanitize the system and ensure that genuine workers receive fair compensation for their services. Even senior local government staff, including deputy directors and treasurers, have been sacked for presenting fake certificates. Those working with forged certificates have been given a grace period to come forward and report themselves or face dismissal once the amnesty period elapses.