The verification panel set up by the Bayelsa Government to verify staff of the eight local government areas of the state has uncovered a large number of non-existent, under-aged and unqualified workers.

The committee, while submitting its report on Wednesday to Deputy Governor, Rear Admiral John Jonah, identified some of the problems bedeviling the LGs to include ghost workers, employment of minors and unqualified workers, as well as truancy.

The report which was presented by the Chairmen of the Staff Verification Committee of each of the eight LGAs. They include Chief T. K. O Okorotie Ekeremor LGA, Senator Nimi Bariagha-Amage, Nembe LGA, Senator Inatimi Rufus-Spiff, Brass LGA, and Chief Patrick Isulu, Sagbama LGA, amongst others.

The highlights of the reports showed a poor administration, corruption at the LGAs and lack of political will to implement the recommendations of the past verification conducted in 2012 by the administration.

According to Okorotie, out of the 1,777 staff of Ekeremor LGA screened, 352 employees were discovered to be under-age, not qualified and absentee workers who merely collect salaries through the banks monthly.

He said that if the recommendations of the panel were implemented would lead to a savings of N11 million in the council monthly.

Bariagh-Amange, submitted that the verification exercise conducted in Nembe LGA discovered over 60 under-age employees with employment letters dating when the employees were in, primary, secondary and tertiary institutions.

Also in Brass LGA, Rufus-Spiff, submitted that 13 workers were discovered to be dead but were being paid.

Rufus-Spiff also said the verification committee uncovered the issues of truancy and disproportionate number of senior staff compared to junior staff.

Jonah, who received the report on behalf of Governor Seriake Dickson, noted with concern the rot in the local government system which the government had regrettable tolerated since 2012.

He said with the revelations by the report submitted by the committees, the government had decided not to pay those that don’t go to work.

“We had tolerated these irregularities when we had the funds but unfortunately today we do not have money to throw around and so we cannot afford any more waste,” Jonah said.

Commending the various verification committees, Jonah announced the setting up of a review committee to be headed by Commissioner for Local Government Administration, Mrs Agatha Goma.

Also announced as members of the committee are the Special Adviser on Local Government, Robinson Etolor, representative of the state Accountant General.

Others are representative of the treasury office and a representative of the National Union of Local Government Employee (NULGE).

•Photo shows Governor Dickson.

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