The Yobe State Government has issued a warning that civil servants who did not participate in the recently concluded staff verification exercise may face salary suspension.
The warning follows the revelation that 5,029 government employees failed to take part in the screening, raising concerns about the reliability of the state’s workforce data.
Alhaji Bukar Kilo, Chairman of the Screening Committee and Permanent Secretary of the Public Service Office, made this known on Tuesday while submitting the committee’s report to the Head of Civil Service in Damaturu.
According to Kilo, out of 32,140 civil servants in the state, only 27,111 completed the verification process. The exercise, which began in June 2024, officially ended on February 28, 2025.
Highlighting the need for further scrutiny, Kilo recommended setting up a Verification Committee to investigate the issue.
He suggested that all absent workers be required to submit their original credentials, employment records, and salary payment history for the past six months.
He warned that failure to comply could lead to salary suspension, stressing that the move was necessary to maintain accurate employee records and eliminate ghost workers.
In addition, Kilo proposed training programs for civil servants to enhance their skills and improve overall efficiency in the public sector.
Responding to the report, the Head of Civil Service, Tonga Betara, applauded the screening committee for carrying out the verification exercise with transparency and commitment.