The Zamfara State government has raised alarms over the growing issue of ghost workers within its civil service, highlighting the uncertainty surrounding the exact number of civil servants in the state. According to Barrister Ahmad Liman, the State Head of Service (HoS), the presence of ghost workers has made it difficult to determine the true size of the workforce.

In a recent press briefing held in Gusau, Liman revealed that the state is currently unable to ascertain the precise number of civil servants due to widespread cases of ghost workers, particularly in the health and education sectors. He shared a concerning example from a local hospital, where 22 employees were listed on the payroll, but only two were found to be legitimate staff members.

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To address the issue, a verification exercise is ongoing, with the process set to conclude by the end of November 2024. Once completed, a committee will review salaries, with a particular focus on correcting payroll discrepancies.

As the head of the Steering Committee overseeing the verification, Liman noted that the current administration inherited several unresolved issues from its predecessor, including the improper implementation of the 2019 minimum wage of N30,000. He emphasized that the government plans to raise the minimum wage to N70,000 but cannot move forward until the true number of civil servants in the state is established.