Rivers State Administrator, Vice Admiral (Rtd) Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, has announced that a recent staff verification exercise saved the state ₦5 billion from the August salary bill. The exercise, which identified genuine workers and removed ghost workers from the payroll, will allow the funds to be redirected to critical development projects.
Ibas made the announcement during the 2025 Civil Service Week celebration at the Dr. Obi Wali International Conference Centre, where he also unveiled the Rivers State Civil Service Handbook and The Bureaucrat magazine to guide and showcase civil service work.
“The dedication of Rivers civil servants has sustained peace and kept government working,” Ibas said, praising staff for their contribution to the state’s development.
This year’s celebration carried the theme, “Five Years to 2030: Accelerating Public Service Delivery for a Sustainable Future,” with the sub-theme, “Empowering the Rivers State Civil Service: A New Era of Innovation, Productivity, and Excellence.”
Ibas highlighted reforms including large-scale staff training, salary adjustments for agency heads, an ₦85,000 minimum wage for local government workers, health and insurance schemes, and pension improvements. He urged staff with pending salaries to complete verification procedures for prompt payment.
Acting Head of Service, Dr. (Mrs.) Inyingi Brown, emphasized the role of civil servants in driving productivity, integrity, and effective service delivery, while Galaxy Backbone delivered a lecture on digital transformation to enhance efficiency in the public sector.
Ibas reaffirmed his commitment to building a world-class, resilient civil service to drive development, human rights, and peace in Rivers State.
