By; ADAM MUH’D, Gusau
The Zamfara State Government has identified no fewer than 169 ghost doctors who were on the state payroll that are yet to be found.
Governor Bello Mohammed Matawalle made the pronouncement in a chat with newsmen at his residence at Maradun town, the headquarters of Maradun Local Government Area of the state on Friday.
Governor Matawalle stated that his administration was paying salary to 250 doctors every month, adding that the state government had discovered only 81 genuine doctors the state government has who were appointed legally.
His words, “The Zamfara State Government has only 81 doctors initially and out of which 169 doctors were additionally put on the state’s payroll through manipulation, a situation which made it difficult to pay their monthly salary.”
He further revealed that already he met met with the state chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) officials on how to trace those 169 ghost doctors who spent long period of time collecting salary illegally with a view to blocking those behind the manipulation.
“The labour union confirmed to me that the motive behind the delay on payment of salary to health workers was the fact that, they wanted to ensure that things go right and we are going to address all the lacuna in the health sector very soon.
“I have paid both November and December salaries to the all health workers, but unfortunately, we discovered that we have only 81 doctors but unfortunately in our payroll we are paying 250 doctors salary every month, so we must keek these 169 ghost doctors out of our payroll”. He said
Matawalle explained that the discovery of the ghost doctors was as a result of the ongoing biometric data capturing of all the state workforce through the office of the state’s head of service as part of the state government’s readiness to commence proper implemention of the N30,000 minimum wage to the state workforce.
Our correspondent recalls that Governor Bello Mohammed Matawalle has employed 500 additional health workers, constructed primary healthcare hospitals in all the 741 wards across the state.
He assured that no genuine civil servant will be retrenched by his administration in respect to implemention of N30,000 minimum wage process.
“I am not going to retrench any worker who is genuinely employed by the state government in that regard, but we are going to ensure sanity in the civil service according to the law to enable us implement the N30,000 minimum wage accordingly”. He said
He further hinted that, his administration will redouble efforts to ensure healthcare delivery services to the entire citizens of the state if reelected for second term under All Progressives Congress (APC).
“We are going to work harder to make sure that effective improvement of healthcare delivery services to our people in my second term God Almighty willing”. Matawalle said.
