At least 5,029 Yobe State civil servants did not participate in the recently concluded staff screening exercise.
Chairman of Screening Committee, Alhaji Bukar Kilo, made the revelation while presenting the committee’s report to the Head of Civil Service in Damaturu on Tuesday.
Kilo, also the Permanent Secretary, Public Service Office, revealed that out of 32,140 government employees, 27,111 took part in the verification exercise which started in June 2024 and ended on February 28, 2025.
“However, 5,029 staff failed to submit their bio-data forms, raising concerns about the authenticity of our staff records,” he stated.
To address this discrepancy, the chairman recommended that the government set up a Verification Committee to investigate the issue further.
He suggested that all absentees should be mandated to provide their original credentials, employment records, and salary statements for the past six months.
“Failure to comply would result in salary suspension,” Kilo warned.
He emphasized that these measures would help ensure the accuracy of staff records and eliminate ghost workers in the system.
Additionally, Kilo recommended capacity-building training for civil servants to enhance efficiency and productivity in the state’s workforce.
In his remarks, Tonga Betara, the Head of Civil Service, commended the committee for its dedication and integrity in carrying out the screening exercise.
