The Chairman of Ekiti State Local Government Service Commission, Samuel Abejide, has warned absentee workers on two pay jobs to desist from the practice or risk facing the law.
He said the corrupt and unpatriotic practice whereby workers collect salary for a job not done while also collecting salary elsewhere is not only unlawful but also unconscionable practice that denies loyal and hard working staff due compensation for their loyalty to the service.
Abejide spoke while receiving briefs from the directors at the Local Government Service Commission, Local Government Staff Loans Board, Pension Transitional Arrangement Department and the Local Government Staff Training School at an interactive session with the management staff of the commission in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State capital.
Others at the meeting included top management staff in various departments.
Describing the practice as baffling, Abejide wondered why workers choose to protect “ghost workers” who work elsewhere and receive full pay while also collecting money at the commission at the detriment of legitimate workers who toil daily to attend to their official duties.
He said: “It is difficult to explain why workers who complain of inadequate running grants and other entitlements will close their eyes to the ghost staff who work in Lagos or Ibadan and at the same time share in the money meant for the entitlements of legitimate workers and yet they find it difficult to raise their voices against this fraudulent practice that denies them their entitlements but prefer to blame government for their woes.”
He said that the commission would develop a system that would detect absentee workers on payroll, warning that culprits would find themselves to blame if caught.
While canvassing for initiatives that would help boost the internally generated revenue in the commission, he said government on its part would provide adequate welfare package for workers, even as he assured them of regular payment of salary and allowances.
Abejide also assured workers of a conducive working environment that will enhance their productivity at work and stressed the need for them to imbibe work ethics, noting that “an adequately motivated workforce is crucial to the success of the Dr.John Kayode Fayemi administration’s Four Point Agenda”.
He also counselled staff to embrace quality management in the discharge of their duties, noting that local government system has roles to play in the development of the grassroots.
Assuring that government would not shirk in its responsibilities to workers in salaries and allowances payment, Abejide enjoined staff to reciprocate the government’s gesture by avoiding late-coming to work and indolence at their duty posts.
Responding on behalf of the staff, the Director of General Administration Department, Mr. Tunde Alagbo, pledged the cooperation of the staff in the attainment of the objectives of the Fayemi administration’s mission to “reclaiming our land and restoring our values”.
Last modified: May 17, 2019
