Gov Kefas Dismisses Case Of Ghost Workers Draining Taraba Treasury

Taraba State Governor, Agbu Kefas, on Friday denied the claims that ghost workers are draining the state treasury, explaining that that the real problem lies with improperly engaged staff.
Kefas, who made the denial while addressing newsmen on Friday at the EXCO Chambers, TY Danjuma House in Jalingo, state capital, said the ongoing biometric verification exercise was aimed at sanitising the payroll to ensure only legitimately employed staff are paid.
“I am convinced that there are workers who are not properly employed, but they are not ghosts.
“There are two categories of this: Some names appear on paper, but the people do not exist; others appear and disappear. So, we want to pay those actually working and clear pension liabilitie
“Another issue is that some senior civil servants at the point of exit from the service will employ their children and relatives through the back door. This situation is making it difficult for people who are graduates but don’t have connections to get a job, and I am determined to give people equal opportunities because there are so many people who are qualified but have no connections. People must not get jobs through connections,” he said
According to Kefas, the exercise would stop wastage and free resources for genuine workers and retirees.
“I can’t eat anybody’s money. That is the essence of the verification, we want to ensure things are done properly,” he added.