Bayelsa Government says the two-week sensitisation tour on the ongoing public service reforms revealed no fewer than 28,000 ghost workers in the payroll of the eight local government areas.
A statement by the state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Daniel Iworiso-Markson, described the tour as an eye-opener as the people became more aware of the benefits of the reforms.
Iworiso-Markson said that the townhall meetings were designed to throw more light on the ongoing reforms, adding that the exercise was a huge success as it had the collective endorsement of all stakeholders in the state.
According to him, the outcome will enable the government to continue the smooth implementation of the reforms and promised that genuine complaints from civil servants and pensioners will be adequately addressed.
The commissioner thanked all those who supported, participated, made useful presentations at the townhall meetings and urged Bayelsa people to continue to support the reforms.
He also commended Governor Seriake Dickson for the opportunity to organise the programme and his Deputy, Rear Adm. John Jonah (rtd), who, as the chairman of the reforms committee, supported the process.