Rivers State Government has announced the recovery of Five Billion Naira (N5,000,000,000) from its August salary bill following a comprehensive staff verification exercise.
The State Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok ete Ekwe Ibas (rtd) disclosed this on Tuesday during the grand finale of the 2025 Civil Service Week Celebration held at the Dr. Obi Wali International Conference Centre in Port Harcourt.
The Administrator stated that the verification exercise successfully identified and removed non-existent staff and impostors from the government payroll.
He declared that the recovered funds would be immediately channeled into critical development projects and programmes designed for the direct benefit of the people of Rivers State.
“This verification exercise has enabled us to distinguish genuine staff from impostors on the payroll. The ₦5 billion saved is not just a figure; it is a testament to our commitment to fiscal responsibility. These funds will now be strategically invested in critical infrastructure and social projects to accelerate the sustainable development of Rivers State”, the administrator said.
The event, themed “Five Years to 2030: Accelerating Public Service Delivery for a Sustainable Future,” served as a platform to honour the state’s civil servants, whom the Administrator described as “the backbone of this administration and our unsung heroes.”
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Vice Admiral Ibas outlined a bold vision for a revitalized civil service, announcing a series of reforms which include an upward review of salaries and allowances for Heads of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to bridge the wage gap with political office holders.
Other envisaged reforms are significant investment in training and up-skilling programmes, including the first large-scale training for finance and accounting officers, with more planned for senior and middle-level staff.
He said that monthly pension allocations have been increased from N2 billion to N2.6 billion to ensure timely payments. All pensioners, both domestically and abroad, have been verified and enrolled in the state’s contributory health scheme.
Health & Insurance:
Mandatory enrollment of all workers in the state’s contributory health protection programme is also part of the reforms, while a Group Life Insurance programme will soon take effect to ensure prompt payment of entitlements to families of deceased workers.
The administrator further stated that a full-scale revitalization of state-owned media establishments, including RSBC, RSTV, and The Newspaper Corporation, involving renovation, new equipment, and modern upgrades has been carried out.
Ibas reaffirmed his administration’s unwavering commitment to transparency, accountability, and excellence. “With accurate data and a reinvigorated workforce, Rivers State is set on a path of sustainable growth and excellence in governance,” he declared.
The event also featured the unveiling of the new Rivers State Civil Service Handbook and the inaugural edition of The Bureaucrat magazine by the Acting Head of Service, Dr. (Mrs.) Inyingi Brown.
“These publications are designed to guide, inform, and showcase the work of civil servants while promoting efficiency and ethical standards, the head of service said.
Dr. Brown launched a new pledge, vision, and mission statement for the service, emphasizing the critical role of technology in building an agile, responsive, and effective civil service capable of delivering on the state’s ambitious development agenda.
