Ortom Vows To Arrest Corrupt LG Bureau Staff

Speical Advisers to the Governor of Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike, taking their oath of office during the swearing-in ceremony at Government House, Port Harcourt on Friday Photo: Chris Monyanaga

Benue State Governor
Samuel Ortom has vowed to prosecute any staff of the Bureau of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs found to be involved in irregularities regarding the payment of workers’ salaries.
Governor Ortom who issued the threat when he paid a surprise visit to the Bureau, said he had received numerous complaints from workers and other concerned citizens bordering on sharp practices by some ICT personnel in the payment of salary arrears.
He directed the Special Adviser, Bureau of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Titus Zam to investigate and report to him, the allegation that some ICT staff of the Bureau had inserted fictitious names into the payroll to benefit certain individuals who had paid them.
Governor Ortom addressed the ICT staff of the Bureau cautioning them against jeopardizing their future if they allowed some fraudulent individuals to influence them negatively, regretting that the reported cases of fictitious names and other practices in the payment process were sending a negative massage to the people.
“You people have caused this administration serious problems with the manner you have handled the e-payment of the backlog of workers’ salaries. As I have already directed, if anyone is found to be responsible for the irregularities, such a culprit will be made to regret his action. As trained personnel, you must be disciplined and protect your future. My administration has zero tolerance for corruption and anyone working for this government must get that point clear.”
The Governor also directed that names of all workers who were paid manually be included in the e-payment payroll, insisting however that ghost  workers must be removed from the system.
Briefing Governor Ortom earlier, the Special Adviser, Titus Zam, said local governments had been given the funds to go and pay all genuine workers yet to receive their salary arrears.
He assured the Governor that the Bureau would intensify monitoring of the process to ensure that every worker got their wages.