By Rhapsodi Affos Blog (RAB) Reporter 

The Chairman of the Alleged Ghost Workers Forum, Abdurrauf Sani, has accused the state verification committee of deliberately delaying the submission of its report to Governor Agbu Kefas, a situation he said has left thousands of civil servants unpaid for over five months and forced many families to celebrate Christmas and the festive season without salaries.

Sani alleged that the verification committee, chaired by Abdulkadir Haruna, failed to forward its findings to the governor despite assurances that payment would be approved immediately the report was received.

Rhapsodi Affos Blog earlier reported that in July, following consultations involving external firms, about 7,800 workers were declared ghost workers and subsequently removed from the state payroll.

The decision triggered months of unpaid salaries, leading to a protest by the affected workers in November. Rhapsodi Affos Blog (RAB) recalled that Governor Agbu Kefas addressed the protesters and promised that all legitimately employed staff would be verified and paid and those not legally employed will also be verified and paid.

Rhapsodi Affos Blog also reported that after the governor’s intervention, 1,410 workers were cleared by the committee and paid their outstanding salary arrears, while the remaining workers were asked to undergo another screening exercise.

Findings shows that the screening, which was initially scheduled to last one week, extended to nearly three weeks, further delaying the process. Also the scheduled meeting with the governor, where approval for payment was expected yesterday, failed to hold as the committee chairman was reportedly absent.

He maintained that the continued failure to submit the verification report has deepened hardship among affected workers and their families, many of whom are struggling to meet basic needs such as food, clothing, and healthcare.

Sani warned that the actions of the committee were being perceived as an attempt to sabotage the efforts of Governor Agbu Kefas to resolve the crisis, stressing that innocent civil servants should not continue to suffer due to administrative delays.