The Governor of Rivers State in southern Nigeria, Siminalayi Fubara, has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to fiscal discipline by approving a state-wide comprehensive Payroll Verification Exercise to ensure only legitimate employees receive government salaries.
The Governor said the verification exercise was designed to eliminate ghost workers, strengthen accountability in the public service and ensure that public funds are used through due process for duly employed workers.
Commissioning the Omademe Internal Roads Project in Ikwerre Local Government Area, Governor Fubara said the issue of bloated salary payrolls at the local government level had existed before he assumed office, stressing that his administration was determined to address it.
According to him, “the former Local Government Service Commission had commenced efforts to tackle the problem before the emergency rule in the state.”
He said that after his return from what he described as his “sabbatical leave,” and with a new commission in place, he remained committed to resolving the issue.
The Governor, who served as a Treasury Officer before venturing into politics, said “he brought his financial experience to bear on the exercise, with ICT personnel also deployed to support the committee.”
He stressed that the committee was expected to conduct the exercise objectively and without political interference.
“It does not matter whether the people are my supporters. It does not matter whether they are people from the other side. Now, there is no other side. We are all Rivers people.
“I am not against you being employed. But the issue is that if you have to be employed, you have to be employed through the proper channel,” he stressed.
On the Omademe road, Governor Fubara described the project as “part of his administration’s efforts to open up rural communities, improve connectivity and boost economic activities.”
He pledged that his administration would continue to add value to the lives of Rivers people until the last day in office, while urging political leaders to sustain the prevailing peace in the state.
The Commissioner for Works, Professor Temple Nwofor, said the contract for the Omademe internal roads was awarded to Setraco Construction Limited in February 2024, with construction commencing in November of the same year.
Professor Nwofor said; “the project consists of 10 internal roads covering 8.6 kilometres with side drains and outfall discharge systems, including 8.7 kilometres of concrete drains and a three-kilometre outfall drainage system.”
Also speaking, the Chairman of Ikwerre Local Government Area, Charles Wobodo, appreciated the Governor for the project, urging the expansion of road network across the council area.
