The Adamawa State Government has uncovered more
than 800 ghost pensioners in the two-day verification exercise of pensioners in
the state.
The member representing Guyuk constituency, and Chairman
of state House of Assembly Committee on Public Service and Election, Adwawa
Dangluck, disclosed this on Tuesday during his visit to Ribadu Square in Yola, the venue
of the verification exercise.
Dangluck further explained that the verification
exercise was meant to ascertain the
accurate figure of pensioners and to halt some people from siphoning government
funds.
He said his visit was to ascertain the level of
progress achieved and challenges encountered.
Dangluck noted that the major challenge encountered
in the first day was shortage of staff to conduct the exercise, adding that after
communicating with the permanent secretary, the issue was resolved.
He said his committee is in charge of pensioners’
welfare, adding that the ghost workers will be expunged from the list so that
genuine ones who are not getting their benefits will be covered.
According to him, “We have too many ghost
pensioners; some are dead and some cannot physically come to be verified.
“So far, more than 800 ghost pensioners have been
detected. We will take action so that there will be consistency in payment of
genuine pensioners.
“Some pensioners are not getting their entitlements
because of these ghost pensioners. Their names will be expunged from the list
for genuine pensioners to benefit.”
Commenting on the exercise, Chairman of Nigerian
Union of Pensioners, Adamawa State chapter, Samson Almuru, noted that pensioners
plight have over the years multiplied as a result of the lacklustre attitude of
which past administrations in the state treated their welfare.
He, however, thanked the Governor Fintiri-led
administration for championing their cause.
“We are grateful to Fintiri for addressing some of
the challenges we have faced for many years. He promised to address our
concerns and he is doing just that,” Almuru said.
He noted that currently, there are about 20,000
pensioners in the state, adding that with the verification exercise, ghost
pensioners will be removed, noting that already the names of those who are not
physically present without tangible evidence will be regarded as ghost workers.
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