The Katsina State Government has uncovered and removed 3,488 unqualified and ghost workers from the payroll of its 34 Local Government Councils and Local Education Authorities.
The purge followed a biometric screening exercise involving 50,172 staff, of which 46,380 were successfully verified, while the rest were exposed for presenting fake credentials, absconding from duty, engaging in fraud, or refusing to appear before the committee.
Governor Dikko Radda, who received the screening report on Wednesday, said the findings marked a turning point in sanitising the public workforce and saving the state from waste.
He commended the committee for resisting political pressures and producing credible results.
“We know these things exist. People even warned me that it could damage my politics and cost me elections. But I was not worried, because the situation in Katsina required reforming the system and doing the right thing,” the governor said.
The committee, chaired by Abdullahi Gagare, also discovered irregularities such as falsified birth dates, fake certificates, underage employment, absenteeism, illegal promotions, and cases where staff positions were sublet to others.
In one of the most startling findings, the Education Secretary of Zango LEA was indicted for creating 24 ghost workers with the help of collaborators.
The panel also recovered N4.6m from officers drawing double salaries and from six others still collecting pay while on leave of absence.
Governor Radda disclosed that local councils have already saved about half a billion naira from the ongoing reforms, with projected monthly savings of N453.3m if the recommendations are fully implemented.
He directed that the report be converted into a White Paper for full implementation, stressing that “every recommendation must be carried out with honesty and fairness.”
The governor noted that the cleanup will free up funds for grassroots development, explaining that despite high revenue allocations, many local governments still struggle to pay salaries due to bloated wage bills.
The screening was conducted by a 10-member committee of retired Permanent Secretaries and Directors, with support from 16 co-opted members and security personnel.
