The Sokoto State Government announced on Sunday that it has recovered over N278 million earlier paid to ghost workers on the payrolls of local governments within the past four months.
Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal made this disclosure at a stakeholders’ meeting of the All Progressives Congress held in Gwadabawa Local Government Area said the salaries were paid to the ghost workers’ bank accounts but was not claimed from the various banks.

Tambuwal said, “This was a sequel to the centralisation of the payment of the salaries of workers of the local governments.
“About two weeks ago, some banks alerted the Commissioner of Local Governments about the existence of the unclaimed money.’’
He further said that the screening of council workers was to know the real staff.

“The exercise was not aimed at witch-hunting anyone but to ascertain the actual workforce and monthly wage bill of the local governments,’’ he said.

Tambuwal said the state government would help commercial banks recover their money as many beneficiaries of the agricultural loans are yet to repay.

“The money belongs to the Central Bank of Nigeria and we will support any action to recover it.
“This is to enable other farmers to benefit from the gesture as the money is not a bonanza.’’