BY NGOZI OKORIE
THE Imo State Government has uncovered monumental fraud involving the existence of ghost workers on its payroll.
Governor Hope Uzodinma, who disclosed this on Monday, added that the state was not owing any genuine worker salary.
According to him, anyone complaining of non-payment of salary is either a ghost worker or a fraudster.
He spoke while addressing journalists, in Owerri, as part of activities marking his first year in office.
Uzodinma lamented that ghost workers and ghost pensioners had been receiving monthly salaries and pensions in the state.
The Governor said, “This government has paid every genuine worker. Those complaining of non-payment are either ghost workers or fraudsters.
“I am challenging anybody who has not received his or her salary to come to the Government House with his employment details and we will pay him or her immediately.”
The governor also noted that Directors in the civil service must pass their promotion examinations and interviews before being appointed as Permanent Secretaries, saying that the era of picking Permanent Secretaries through appointment was over.
Uzodinma added that he would upgrade the Imo State Zoological Gardens and Wildlife Park to a world-class facility.
This, he noted, was to position the state as one of the tourism centres in the country.
On his achievement in the last one year, Uzodinma affirmed that he had delivered good governance and vowed not to renege on his campaign promises.
