THE Chairman of Delta State Local Government Service Commission, Dr Joseph Otirhue, says uncovered several cases of ghost workers during a recent staff verification exercise,
Otirhue during a media briefing in Asaba, revealed that many local government employees who had abandoned their posts and relocated abroad were still drawing salaries. He stated that the names of such individuals had been removed from the payroll following the verification exercise.
“Earlier this year, the commission conducted a general verification to identify workers who are actively reporting for duty and those who are not. We cannot justify the government spending significant amounts on salaries when the impact is not being felt. The exercise helped us save substantial funds for the councils,” he said.
Dr Otirhue added that the names of deceased workers, retirees, and those found culpable of misconduct had also been expunged from the system.
“Some staff that travelled abroad and never returned had their names deleted from the payroll. The principle is clear: no work, no pay,” he noted.
He emphasized that local government council chairpersons were fully briefed on the outcome of the verification exercise, which he described as highly impactful.
Reaffirming the Commission’s mandate, Dr Otirhue stated that its core responsibilities include recruitment, promotion, discipline, and capacity-building for local government workers.
He highlighted ongoing training and retraining programs aimed at improving staff performance and efficiency at all levels of local government across the state. “Knowledge is power, and we have seen workers apply what they’ve learned to improve service delivery,” he said.
Describing local government workers as key stakeholders in grassroots governance, Dr Otirhue underscored their role in policy execution, project implementation, and effective administration.
On the relationship between the Commission and council chairpersons, he said it remains “robust, cordial, and beneficial to the people.”
The Commission Chairman also commended Governor Sheriff Oborevwori for his administration’s development strides since assuming office.
