Date: 2011-11-24

An Inter-Ministerial Committee has been set-up by the Kwara State Government to carry out staff auditing, verification and biometric data exercise in the 16 Local Government Councils in the State, Local Government Service Commission and the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB).

The State Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Community Development, Alhaji Isa Bawa disclosed this at the weekend, during a news conference on the screening exercise.

The Committee, which is headed by the Commissioner, would among others, refocus, rejuvenate and further reposition local government administration in the State to enable government accomplish the objectives for which it was established.

According to the Commissioner, the screening exercise, which is expected to commence on Monday November 28 with Kwara Central Senatorial District, will last nine weeks.

Alhaji Bawa stated further that any staff who fails to show up as appropriate or refuses to tender genuine documents will be regarded as a ghost worker.

He said on the approval of the State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfata Ahmed, all Local Governments, Local Government Service Commission and the SUBEB have been mandated to make available to the Ministry their payrolls for the last four months, nominal rolls and approved budgets for 2009, 2010 and 2011 for use and guidance of the consultants for the exercise.

To ensure the success of the exercise, all stakeholders involved in the administration and welfare of local government such as the principal officers of Local Government Councils, Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Local Government Service Commission, ALGON, SUBEB, the traditional institution and various community leaders are to partake in the exercise.

Bawa, however, solicited the support and cooperation of all the relevant stakeholders to ensure the success of the screening exercise.

In his remark, the representative of the consulting firm, Mcford Consulting Ltd, Mr. Biodun Yusuf said the exercise was not meant to witch-hunt anybody but to checkmate leakages in government finances and also called for support from the council Chairmen to make the exercise successful.

24/11/2011