40,000 ghost workers receive N8bn monthly salary – Presidency

The Senior Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President, Garba Shehu on Monday said the Muhammadu Buhari administration has been saving N8 billion monthly after getting rid of 40,000 ghost workers.


Shehu stated this in a statement issued on Monday on the state of the Nigerian economy.

“See what the current administration is doing to sanitize the huge salary bill by eliminating payroll fraud.

“So far, the federal payroll has been rid of about 40,000 ghost workers. More than eight billion naira stolen monthly has been saved,” Shehu said.

He also said reforms on spendings will be enforced on states.

“The Federal Government is not limiting the reforms to the centre, but forcing state governments to reform their spending and build savings or investments,’’ he said.

Shehu said the government is also increasing spending on capital projects, especially on infrastructure needed to create jobs.

“Currently, there is focus on key sectors (apart from oil) that can create jobs and or generate revenue such as Agriculture, Solid Minerals and Manufacturing.’’

Shehu also responded to criticisms on the Buhari administration on its economic decisions.
“There are many who say that this Government’s economic strategy is unclear whereas the previous government seemed well co-ordinated,” he said.

“I will make the confession that we, the officials hired to communicate government policies, that includes myself, have not done as well as we should have.

“The truth is that more than any other time before, there is a clear direction and strategy for achieving growth and development.

“Revisionists may not agree, but the truth of the matter is that the previous administration only had one issue, which was how to spend money (oil revenues and borrowed money),” he said.