Rhapsodi Affos Blog RAB Reporter 

Jalingo, Taraba State — The Taraba State Government’s approval of ₦1.6 billion for local government councils has reignited public debate over workers’ welfare, as hundreds of civil servants tagged as “ghost workers” continue to wait for months of unpaid salaries despite repeated assurances from government officials.

Governor Agbu Kefas recently approved the disbursement of ₦100 million each to the state’s 16 local government councils, amounting to ₦1.6 billion, to fund grassroots development projects across the state. The approval, announced as a boost for local governance and community-level interventions, comes at a time when unresolved salary issues continue to trail a segment of the state workforce.

Background: The Ghost Workers’ Crisis

The salary dispute dates back to the state government’s payroll verification and biometric screening exercise, which led to the removal of thousands of names from the payroll on the grounds of irregular employment. While the government maintained that the exercise was necessary to sanitize the civil service, affected workers insist they are legitimate employees unfairly labelled as ghost workers.

In November 2025, the workers staged protests in Jalingo, demanding reinstatement and payment of accumulated salary arrears. Following the protest, Governor Kefas reportedly assured the workers that the matter would be resolved. Subsequently, 1,410 workers were cleared and paid, while others were directed to undergo another round of biometric verification.

According to affected workers, they complied fully with the fresh screening exercise, submitting documents and completing biometric capture as directed by the relevant authorities.




January Protest and Legislative Intervention

Frustration resurfaced in January 2026, when the unpaid workers embarked on a mass protest that drew widespread public sympathy. During the protest, the workers were invited by the Speaker of the Taraba State House of Assembly and the Majority Leader, who appealed to them to suspend the demonstration.

Sources familiar with the meeting said the lawmakers assured the protesters that payment was imminent and that the issue was awaiting final approval from the governor, based on submissions already made by the appropriate ministries and agencies.

Following the intervention, the workers called off the protest in good faith. However, weeks later, payments have yet to be made.

Waiting for Approval

Multiple sources within government circles confirmed that memos were prepared and forwarded to the governor for approval, following his earlier directive that all necessary documentation be submitted. What remains unclear is why the approval has not translated into payment, despite repeated internal assurances.

Affected workers describe the situation as a cycle of deferred hope, with promises shifting from “this week” to “next week” over several months.

“We keep hearing next week, next week. That has been our reality since November,” one affected worker said.

Renewed Tension as ₦1.6bn Is Released

The approval of ₦1.6 billion for local government councils, while welcomed by local government officials, has intensified the sense of disappointment among unpaid workers, who argue that resources could have been used to resolve their outstanding salaries.

While the government has not publicly linked the local government disbursement to the workers’ issue, critics say the contrast underscores unresolved priorities within the administration.

As of the time of filing this report, the Taraba State Government has not issued an official explanation on why the cleared and screened workers remain unpaid, nor clarified the status of the approvals earlier promised.

For the affected workers, the approval of funds elsewhere has deepened concerns that their long wait may continue, even as development funds move through other channels.