Ebonyi State Government uncovers job scam involving 838 Cemetery keepers

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Despite the alarming rate of unemployment in the state and country at large, Ghost workers are still being discovered everywhere. The Ebonyi State government said that it had uncovered an job scam involving about 838 cemetery keepers in the local government system(Yes cemetery keepers)

These cemetery keepers were being paid using the consolidated Health Salary Scheme, CONHESS, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr. Samuel Okoronkwo, disclosed in Abakaliki. The Commissioner further debunked rumours that the state government plans to sack medical workers in the thirteen local government areas. He stated that rather than sack workers, the state government is interested in finding out workers who are not health workers, but are being paid with CONHESS. According to him, investigations has so far revealed that previous administrations employed about 838 workers as cemetery keepers even when there were no cemetery in the 13 local government areas or any being managed by the state government. He said “The only cemetery in the state is in Abakaliki and it is being managed by the Catholic Church, so what are the cemetery keepers doing? Why are they earning CONHESS?” He further emphasized that the affected workers will not be sacked, but be removed from CONHESS and reposted to other areas, where they will be useful, adding that a committee has been set up to look into the issue with the committee members drawn from various unions and the government.