Ghost Workers: Governor Ihedioha Introduces Biometric Capturing In Imo Civil Service

Imo State Governor, Emeka Ihedioha has introduced biometric capturing of civil servants to end the issue of ghost workers in the state.

The governor made this known through his Chief Technical Adviser, Pascal Madu, during a press briefing at Government House, Owerri, on Wednesday, 14th August 2019.

According to the governor, the biometric exercise would ease the pains of pensioners in accessing their pensions after years of retirement.

He also revealed that he would begin the payment of the arrears of senior citizens of the state three days after the biometric exercise had been concluded.

Ihedioha, who noted that out of 30,000 pensioners in the state, about 14,000 had been captured, said:

“The importance of this is to eradicate ghost workers from our state civil service and to eradicate the agony our pensioners go through in accessing their pensions after years of retirement.”

“We will start paying three days after the conclusion of this exercise. His Excellency, whose mother is also a retiree, is worried about the pains our pensioners go through. He wants to put an end to it once and for all.”

The chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress in the state, Austin Chilapko urged the government to combine the verification and data capturing exercises.

The chairman of pensioners in the state, Josiah Ugochukwu said that his colleagues were not ready to wait for weeks anymore before they start getting their pensions.