Ondo Discovers 51 Ghost Workers On Payroll

By Niyi Olutunde, Akure

Head of Service, Ondo State, Mr. Dare Aragbaye has disclosed that no fewer than 51 ghost workers were discovered at the Local Government Service during screening exercise to prevent state wage bill from being loaded with non-existing staff.

Aragbaye gave the disclosure on Monday while briefing newsmen at NUJ Press Centre, Alagbaka, Akure, the state capital, on the 2019 Public Service Week celebration programme with the theme: “ICT and Innovative Governance: Panacea For Youth Unemployment and Migration.”

According to him, 51 workers on the payroll didn’t show up even after extending the screening exercise by about two weeks.

The HoS however said that the state government has stopped salary payment of those 51 ghost workers due to their failure to appear for the last verification exercise conducted for its workforce.

Speaking on the new minimum wage for workers in the state, Aragbaye said that consultations are ongoing with labour leaders in the state to work out the modalities on the implementation of the new minimum wage.

He revealed that Governor Akeredolu was eager to hear what the final outcome of the consultations is in order for him to append his signature on implementation of the new wage.

According to the HoS, Governor Akeredolu on the last May Day celebration promised workers in the state that he would pay the new minimum wage.

He also assured workers that the outstanding 2018 leave bonus would be paid.

Aragbaye said: “I want assure the workers that as Mr. Governor promised on May Day, Ondo State government will pay the minimum wage.

“Mr. Governor had been reminding us what we’ve been doing about it in order to get his approval.

“We have been meeting all stakeholders and we are meeting again this week so we can quickly agree. I can assure you, there will be no problem.”

The HoS declared that new Public Service Reform Initiative, Ondo State Improvement Programme(ODSIP), domestically prepared with a view to addressing most of the “dysfunctions currently plaguing the Bureaucracy of the state and sets the tone for a better service.”

He, however, stated that the 2-day programme, which would commence on Tuesday, would be rounded off with the new reform being unveiled on Wednesday.