By Karen James
In Awka, Anambra State, a shocking revelation has recently come to light regarding the local government system’s payroll. Vincent Ezeaka, Chairman of the Anambra State Local Government Service Commission (LGSC), addressed reporters to disclose significant irregularities that were discovered during a personnel audit.
During the audit, Ezeaka revealed that 59 deceased individuals and 40 retirees were still receiving salaries. What’s even more surprising is that individuals who have relocated abroad were also found to be on the payroll. Additionally, the commission discovered 427 “ghost workers” who were listed without valid employment status.
In a disturbing twist, the commission also found 44 individuals who were employed with forged educational credentials, including fake OND, HND, BSc, NECO, and First School Leaving Certificates. As a result of these findings, several Deputy Directors and local government Treasurers have been dismissed for possessing fraudulent certificates.
To tackle these issues, the commission has enlisted the help of a retired permanent secretary to oversee an ongoing verification process aimed at cleansing the local government system in Anambra State. Ezeaka stressed that these actions are necessary to restore integrity and ensure that only legitimate employees are on the payroll, as mandated by the state government.
Ezeaka explained, “Before the commencement of the verification exercise, we wrote to all the 21 local government areas, asking workers to voluntarily resign if they have issues with their certificates. We assured them that they would be granted amnesty, but if we have to spend time and money to find them out, we would dismiss them.”
Furthermore, the chairman stated that out of the 320 workers who were verified since February, only 110 have been able to prove themselves as legitimate employees. The remaining 220 workers have failed to come forward.
Ezeaka also spoke about the crackdown on individuals with forged certificates. “We set up a committee that came up with a report of people with suspicious certificates working in various local government areas. We then set up a screening committee that indicted many of them,” he said. “We started investigating the certificates they presented and went as far as contacting the universities whose certificates they claimed. Out of the 20 people who presented Imo State University certificates, we have screened 14 so far and discovered that six were fake.”
The commission’s aim is to sanitize the system and ensure that genuine workers receive fair compensation for their services. Ezeaka reiterated that the ongoing staff and certificate verification processes are not intended for witch-hunting, but rather to cleanse the system.
Those found to be working with forged certificates have been given a grace period to voluntarily report themselves or face termination once the amnesty expires.
Ezeaka emphasized that the intention behind these actions is not to reduce the wage bill or victimize anyone, but rather to ensure that genuine workers are contributing to the development of Anambra State. With the support of Governor Chukwuma Soludo, the commission is determined to uphold the mandate of clearing the local government system of ghost workers.
As the investigation continues, those caught in this illicit act will face the full consequences of the law in accordance with civil service rules. The hope is that through these measures, the local government system in Anambra State will be restored to its rightful integrity.
