Imo governor, Sen Hope Uzodinma, on Monday disclosed that his administration saves N2 billion every month from the wage bill of the state workers and pensioners.
He attributed this to the payments of salaries and pensions using the Bank Verification Number (BVN) records which uniquely tied each worker to a distinct bank account.
The governor, in a statewide broadcast in Owerri, said the savings was as a result of a comprehensive review of the state’s civil service and payment structure with a view to fishing out ghost workers.
This, he said, had been put in place by his administration, a measure which saved N2 billion for the state monthly.
“I can tell you today that by insisting on the enforcement of BVN records, which uniquely ties each worker to a distinct bank account, I have been able to save about N2 Billion monthly from the wage bill of Imo workers and pensioners.
“I consider it a great achievement that through this painstaking exercise of eradicating the stinking fraud in the public service payroll system, the sum of N2 billion is saved every month for the state,” the governor said.
He reiterated his commitment to the payment of salaries on or before month-end and appealed to residents to support his administration’s efforts in fighting corruption in the civil service.
Uzodimma, however, added that the saved funds would be channeled to the development of infrastructure and construction of schools and hospitals.
“This huge sum will be plowed back to infrastructural development. This means that the government will be able to deliver more roads, housing, and better hospitals and schools in the coming months and years.
“Let me use this opportunity to appeal to my esteemed Imo people to walk with us in this journey of blocking a few wicked people from stealing from our commonwealth through payroll fraud.
“I appeal to our people to understand that if there are temporary delays in the payment of salaries, it is never for lack of funds, but because we are determined to stop the payroll cabal from fleecing our commonwealth.
“Let me reiterate my early commitment to pay salaries on or before the end of every month, while I intend to keep this promise religiously.
“I will not also allow the payroll cabal to use it as an excuse to blackmail me into paying non-existent staff salaries that ends up in their private pockets,” he promised.
