Kefas: No Ghost Workers in Taraba, Only Improper Employment

Taraba State Governor, Agbu Kefas, has dismissed speculations about ghost workers in the state’s civil service, insisting that the real issue is improper recruitment into the system.

Speaking with reporters yesterday at the Executive Chambers of TY Danjuma House, Jalingo, the governor said the ongoing biometric verification exercise is aimed at sanitising the payroll to ensure that only legitimately employed staff are captured.

“There are no ghost workers as people claim,” Kefas said. “What we have are cases of people who were not properly engaged. Some names appear on paper, but the individuals are not traceable; others appear and disappear. We want to ensure only those actually working get paid, while also clearing pension liabilities.”

The governor accused some senior civil servants of smuggling their children and relatives into service at the point of retirement, thereby denying qualified graduates without connections an opportunity.

“I am determined to give everyone a fair chance. People must not get jobs because of who they know,” he said.

Kefas explained that the verification exercise would block leakages and free resources for genuine workers and retirees.

On education, the governor admitted the state faces challenges due to unreliable data, saying Taraba has about 3,000 primary and 500 secondary schools, many of which are in poor condition.

He promised to mobilise teachers, parents and government to address infrastructural decay, beginning with classroom repairs, provision of chairs, and roofing projects.

“My plan is to meet with headteachers and principals. I will release funds directly to schools and involve parents in fixing facilities,” Kefas stated.

The governor urged journalists to serve as independent monitors of government projects across the 16 local government areas, stressing that accountability must be enforced at all levels.

On political appointments, Kefas dismissed much of the criticism as perception but warned against sabotage. He cited a case where a transformer at the Presidential Lodge in Jalingo was allegedly vandalised by staff, adding that culprits would not go unpunished.

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