By Tokunbo2
Copyright thesun
From Abdulrazaq Mungadi, Gombe
Gombe State Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya on Thursday disclosed that his administration has uncovered and removed 440 ghost workers from the state health sector, saving the government over N4.5 billion in wage bills.
Speaking at the opening of the maiden Gombe State Health Summit held at the Gombe International Conference Centre, the governor described the payroll purge as one of the bold reforms that have repositioned the sector since he declared a state of emergency on health in 2019.
According to him, the biometric attendance system introduced across hospitals and health facilities revealed widespread cases of absenteeism and fictitious names on the payroll. He said, “Through this process we eliminated about 440 ghost workers and saved more than N4.5 billion that would have gone into fraudulent salaries.” He added that the measure has also improved discipline and accountability among staff.
The governor said the payroll clean-up was part of a broader turnaround strategy that has transformed health service delivery in the state. He noted that budgetary allocation to health rose from 3.5 per cent in 2018 to 12 per cent in 2025, while major investments were made in primary, secondary and tertiary care.
According to him, other highlights of the reforms include the revitalisation of 228 primary healthcare centres across all wards, the upgrade of general hospitals in Bajoga, Kaltungo, and Kumo, as well as the conversion of the new 200-bed hospital in Kumo into a Federal Medical Centre (FMC).
Governor Yahaya also announced the immediate implementation of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure in Nigeria (CONMESS) as well as the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) for health workers in Gombe State. According to him, this places them on par with their federal counterparts at an annual cost of N3 billion. He urged health professionals to reciprocate by upholding the highest standards of service.
The summit, which was declared open by Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, drew participants from development partners, donor agencies and health professionals.
