The organised labour in Kogi, Friday, called on the state Head of Service (HoS), Mrs Deborah Ogunmola to make public the said 300 ghost workers allegedly planted by senior civil servants in the state.
They expressed dismay over stories credited to the HoS that she had uncovered 300 ghost workers allegedly planted by senior civil servants in the state.
In a statement by the State Chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Onuh Edoka and his Trade Union Congress (TUC) counterpart, Comrade Ranti Ojo, they described the allegation as unfortunate given the fact that the state government had conducted the staff verification exercise that lasted for over three years.
They noted that aside the normal verification exercise that lasted three years, the government also organised pay parade for all workers and had their biometric data captured.
They challenged the HoS to publish the names of the said ghost workers, their MDAs and the senior civil servants involved in the names planting.
The labour leaders said that the government’s statements since after the screening indicated that the payment system has been made watertight and only the governor could order the inclusion of any names in the payroll.
They said that until the identities of those involved are revealed, the organised labour would view the action of the HoS as a deliberate attempt to rubbish what the state government achieved from the screening exercise, which they asserted will throw the entire workforce into another round of screening exercise.
They accused the HoS of looking for avenues to perpetuate herself in office, haven attained the retirement age in service, two years back.
The cautioned the state government to not listen to any advice that could set it against workers, and aimed at denying them their minimum wage.
They called on the state government to hasten action on the implementation of the minimum wage to the workforce as being done in other states.
They reiterated the loyalty of the entire workforce to the state government and expressed the hope that government would reciprocate it by giving priorities to workers’ welfare.
