By DAVIES IHEAMNACHOR, Port Harcourt

The Rivers State Government says it has arrested seven civil servants for working and receiving salaries in different Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of the state.

It also disclosed that it has uncovered over 11,000 civil servants who are working in the different ministries of the government with falsified age, adding that the success was recorded through the regular biometrics and physical verifications exercises.

The Senior Special Assistant to Governor Nyesom Wike on Information and Communications Technology, Asawo Ibifuro, disclosed this in Port Harcourt while addressing newsmen on the efforts of the state government to reposition ICT and build capacity in the state.

Ibifuro, the lead consultant to the state ICT office, noted that the essence of the biometrics and physical verifications was to end sharp practices among the civil servants, and directors of Government Ministries, Departments, and Agencies.

Ibifuro noted that the 11,000 people were discovered during biometrics and physical verifications for workers in the state, adding that the intention of the suspects was to mislead the state and work beyond their retirement age.

Ibifuro stated that a lot of civil servants in the state were involved in working in multiple state government offices, adding that such an act has also been curtailed by the government’s engagement in ICT.

He said: “Biometrics and Physical verifications have been conducted for both serving and retired public in the state and we see that huge amount has been saved for the government.

“We discovered over 11,000 persons that reduced their age while in service. When we regularised this, the government saved a lot of money.

“We also discovered people working in multiple places. We arrested 7 people in that regards. Over 1000 persons did not show up again. Over 5000 pensioners did not also show up for verification because of this issue.”

He said after the governor of the state-funded the renovation of the ICT department of the state that it has trained over 5000 youths, and is planning an ICT policy for the state to enable the state to have its own data centre. (Vanguard)

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