There is a developing controversy over the exact number of ghost workers said to have been uncovered during the verification exercise carried out by the Akwa Ibom State Government for the payment of the new minimum wage.
While the secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Akwa Ibom State chapter, Alpha Marshall, says over 2,000 ghost workers have so far been uncovered during the exercise, the chairman of the NLC in the state, Comrade Sunny James, says any report about the figure is premature and inconclusive.
Marshall, while speaking Tuesday, during a telephone interview on XL106.9FM’s Super Breakfast Show in Uyo, said a little over 5,700 civil servants have so far been verified against the 55,120 workers that were available on record before the verification exercise.
Describing the verification process as seamless and transparent, he said the report of the exercise was ready for submission to the governor.
On civil servants yet to be verified, the NLC Secretary, who disclosed that plans are underway to reschedule a verification exercise for workers whose issues are bothered by mismatched details on the National Identification Number, NIN, maintained that the rescheduled exercise will not stop the committee from submitting the report to the Governor.
While describing Governor Eno as a promise keeper, Comrade Marshall expressed optimism that once the report is reviewed by the Governor, civil servants will be paid the new minimum wage.
Governor Eno had promised to pay the N80,000 minimum wage to all public workers immediately after the completion of the physical verification exercise, adding that the new minimum would take effect in November 2024.
Contacted by THE WHISTLER on the phone, the NLC chairman, Comrade Sunny James, who is a member of the verification team, said the report about the number of ghost workers is premature and inconclusive, adding that it would be improper for him to confirm the number of ghost workers at the moment.
“We have not finished our committee report, so, as soon as we finish it, we will make the official figures public.
“The truth of the matter is that the statement is premature and as far as the NLC in Akwa Ibom State, in which I am the head, is concerned, we are still working on it.
“As far as I am concerned, the report is inconclusive. I am the chairman; until the report is ready, I cannot confirm the statement being made about ghost workers.
‘It must be concluded before I make a public statement but I need to find out. We only had a meeting yesterday so I cannot confirm anything,” he said.
