The Cross River State government has uncovered a total of 2,000 ghost pensioners on its payroll, according to a statement from the Government House. These fraudulent entries have contributed to delays in paying the accumulated backlogs of gratuities from 2014 to 2024.

Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Bassey Otu, alerted the press on Friday about the discovery made by a committee set up by Governor Bassey Otu. The identities of those involved in the pension fraud have not yet been disclosed.

“So far, the audit and verification exercise has uncovered over 2,000 ghost pensioners, who have consequently been expunged from both the State and Local Government Pensions Payrolls,” the statement read.

With the near completion of the exercise to authenticate genuine pensioners, the payment of gratuities is set to commence in August 2024. The committee, led by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), has one week from its first meeting to submit its report to the government.

The Government House spokesperson added that Governor Bassey Edet Otu has approved the sum of N10 billion to address the outstanding payment of gratuities for retired civil and public servants in the state.

Additionally, the governor has approved the formation of a committee comprising executives of state and local government pension unions, under the leadership of the Secretary to the State Government. This committee will meet with the SSG on Monday, July 29, 2024, to finalize the modalities for the payment of gratuities.