Ghost workers in Kagera Region drain 545m/-from govt coffers

MEDDY MULISA in Bukoba

THE number of ghost workers uncovered in Kagera Region in the ongoing verification exercise has increased to 99, causing an estimated loss of 545.6m/- government revenue, the Kagera Regional Commissioner (RC), Mr Salim Mustapha Kijuu, has disclosed.

Mr Kijuu told a press conference he convened at his office this afternoon that about, 60m/- had so far been recovered while 465m/- was yet to be recovered. According to Mr Kijuu, Karagwe District Council had 26 ghost workers causing loss amounting 261m/- of which 30.9m/-had been recovered.

Misenyi District Council had ten ghost workers who were spending 146m/- payment while Muleba District Council had 17 ghost workers causing loss of 19.8m/-.

He added that Bukoba District Council had 22 ghost workers who have been paid 27m/- as Biharamulo District Council had identified nine ghost workers, causing loss amounting 13.8m/- 66,760/-.

Bukoba Municipality had seven ghost workers, Ngara district council three all of them have been costing the government coffers more than 50m/- loss. Mr Kijuu said a probe committee had been formed to conduct a spot verification exercise in all seven districts and those found responsible would be prosecuted in court.

President John Magufuli tasked Regional Commissioners to ensure that all ghost workers were weeded out, giving them three weeks to complete the exercise.

He has ordered a probe into “ghost workers” on the public sector payroll after a new audit revealed the government paid 141.4 billion Tanzanian shillings ($76.6 million) to fake workers over the past year.

He also tasked the RCs into evoking the spirit of hard work as opposed to idleness among the youth in their regions, through ordering arrests on idle youngsters resorting to playing games during the day time when the elderly is toiling in the farms