The Kogi State Government has stated that it loses N5 billion annually as wages to workers who gained employment with fake certificates.

Addressing newsmen yesterday, the director-general, Media and Publicity, to the Governor of Kogi State, Kingsley Fanwo said the endemic corruption in the civil service had taken a heavy toll on the financial health of the state.

“It is sad to note that the Kogi State government uses N5 billion to pay salaries of workers who gained employment into the civil service with fake certificates.

“The administrations that did such employments are as culpable as the culprits who tendered such forged certificates in order to gain employment into the civil service. These are the people who have contributed to the top-heaviness of our civil service and made it difficult to pay salaries to genuine workers over the years.

“The administration of Alhaji Yahaya Bello has been faithful to the workers, owing only a few months. Those recently pardoned of certain offenses will be paid their arrears soon.

“As for those who had been defrauding the state with forged certificates, government is set to prosecute them.”

Fanwo further asserted that what was lost to workers with fake certificates would have been handy in fixing many roads across the state, urging the citizens to partner with government in enthroning probity in the society.

He said the present administration in the state would continue to pursue civil service reforms with “utmost seriousness” until the “all-important sector is fixed”.

“It is part of the thematic areas of the present administration to make our civil service work robustly through thorough reforms. We won’t rest on our oars until that is achieved,” he said.

On the proposed plan to test teachers in the state, Fanwo said government is not “thinking about retrenching workers but to deploy workers to areas where they can help the system”.

“This government will not sack teachers who are unable to measure up to basic standards. If they cannot teach, they might be useful in other sectors. Government will not inflict pain on families,” he assured. (LEADERSHIP Weekend)

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