Chairman of Emohua Local Government Area in Rivers State, Dr. Chidi Lloyd, says his administration has saved more than N150 million after conducting the council’s first biometric verification exercise, which uncovered ghost workers and cases of double employment.
Speaking in an interview in Port Harcourt, Lloyd said the exercise exposed individuals who were not legitimate council employees but were receiving salaries, while also revealing that some workers held multiple public sector jobs.
According to him, the recovered funds were redirected to infrastructure projects across the LGA, including the construction of the one-kilometre Eveku Road, the 1.5-kilometre Ukeli Road in Ndele, and the 1.2-kilometre Ubimini-Awara Road, all with drainage systems.
“The first time we did the biometrics, we saved over N150 million. I used part of the money to mobilise for the construction of one-kilometre Eveku Road with drainage on both sides, 1.5-kilometres Ukeli Road in Ndele with drainage on both sides, 1.2-kilometres Ubimini-Awara Road with drainage on both sides and others.
“These are not AI, they are all there for you to see. So, all of the monies that were going into illegal pockets have now been channelled towards delivering good governance,” Lloyd said.
Lloyd said the biometric exercise was introduced after studying similar staff verification initiatives implemented in other local government councils across the state.
