Birnin Kebbi — Kebbi State Verification Committee on Local Government Staff has uncovered 9,258 "ghost workers" in the 21 local councils, an official of the workers union has said.

Alhaji Bello Barade, state Chairman of the National Union of Local Government Employees, NULGE, told newsmen in Birnin Kebbi, yesterday, that the figure included workers that failed to appear for clearance.

Barade said the exercise, conducted two months ago, had cleared 24,126 workers "as genuine staff of the councils.

"The records of such workers were studied and they were cleared. The exercise was not aimed at witch-hunting any worker."

He disclosed that 12,830 of the workers verified "were beneficiaries of political patronage.

"Such categories of staff would not be considered as workers due to the nature of their recruitment on political grounds, but they would continue to enjoy their salaries and allowances."

The chairman, who was part of the verification team, said the committee had recommended the retraining of some 1,830 secondary school certificate holders, who were employed as teachers.

He said such workers would be fully absorbed into the service after the retraining.

According to him, genuine workers who were unable to attend the screening exercise would be given another opportunity.

"The committee has also strongly recommended that all serious omissions be reviewed," he added.