Benue Uncovers 10,000 Ghost Teachers, 80 Ghost Schools

Benue state has uncovered over 10,000 ghost teachers during the ongoing verification exercise in the state. Over 80 fully staffed ghost schools were also discovered.

According to the Bureau for Local Government sources, the fake workers and schools were captured in the payment voucher in the various local governments and funds diverted into private accounts.
A source who spoke to Per Second News but asked not to be named as she is not authorised to speak on behalf of the government, revealed that ghost workers were the conduit pipe through which the past administration led by Gabriel Suswam drained the state treasury.
“The PDP killed the state with all these ghost workers. This is how they were eating our money. They planted ghost schools and staff to enrich themselves at the expense of the masses.”
The source explained that the government, in its verification exercise, used a special software that matched the bank details of workers with their personal information such that there was no escape for anyone engaging in fraudulent activities.
Governor Samuel had following his assumption of office, vowed to clean up the local government system in order to reduce the wage bill of the state which currently stands at N2.9bn. He, therefore, commissioned his Adviser on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr Titus Zam to carry out a state-wide staff verification.
The verification exercise is scheduled to end on the 8th of November 2015, after which payments will be made.