The Nasarawa State government says it would conduct a screening exercise for personnel across the 13 local government areas (LGAs).

Peter Ahemba, Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Public Affairs to Governor Abdullahi Sule of the state, disclosed this during a news conference on Friday in Lafia.

The media aide explained that the move aimed to address the rising number of ghost workers in the LGAs.

Mr Ahemba explained that the state’s Economic Council, headed by Deputy Governor Emmanuel Akabe, had constituted a five-member committee to carry out the exercise.

“The Economic Council recommended the immediate screening of personnel across the 13 LGAs of the state to fish out ghost workers and ascertain the actual number of workers.

“The screening is imperative because of the overblown salaries of workers in spite of retirements, deaths and transfer of service.

“The screening will help the new authorities at the local government levels to plan toward the payment of the N70,000 minimum wage and address other welfare issues,” he said.

The media aide, who said the state government had fully complied with the autonomy granted to the 774 LGAs in the country, added that the planned screening exercise would also boost good governance at the grassroots.

He disclosed that the state government had since abolished the joint account system, adding that the councils now receive their allocations directly from the federation account.

Mr Ahemba further said the state’s Revenue Service Board is collaborating with the Chairmen of the LGAs to boost the internally generated revenue of their respective councils in line with the local government laws.

(NAN)