Bauchi Uncovers 100 Ghost Health Workers

The Bauchi State government said it has uncovered more than 100 ghost workers in only five health facilities in the state.

Executive Chairman of Bauchi State Hospital Management Board, Dr. Muhammad Sambo Alkali, made the revelation while speaking with journalists on Wednesday night.

Alkali added that the names of identified ghost workers would soon be forwarded to Governor Bala Mohammed for appropriate disciplinary action in line with civil service rules.

“We are currently conducting a verification exercise to expose ghost workers in the health sector. Recently, in just five of our facilities, we discovered over 100 ghost workers. Their names will be forwarded to the governor, and they will face the full consequences under civil service regulations,” Alkali said.

He explained that beyond tackling ghost workers, the government was addressing the shortage of medical professionals, a challenge he noted as global.

According to him, Governor Mohammed has approved a scheme that has enabled the state to engage more than 40 doctors, ranging from consultants to medical officers, who were carefully selected and strategically deployed based on available data.

“This pull system ensures that all professionals are on board. We also supervise facilities closely and are mandated by the governor to conduct a gap analysis to strengthen service delivery,” he added.

Alkali further revealed that the governor had directed the state’s health committee to design a healthcare scheme of service that would not only address salary issues but also attract more doctors and other health professionals to Bauchi.

“The plan is to align Bauchi’s health workers’ salaries with those of the Federal Government. This is almost completed and will soon be submitted to the governor for implementation,” he said.

Also speaking, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Sani Muhammed Dambam, said the governor remained committed to reducing child malnutrition in the state.

Dambam announced that the government would collaborate with relevant agencies and partners to establish a Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) facility in Bauchi.

He added that Governor Mohammed had also pledged to strengthen the state’s Drugs and Medical Consumables Agency with a N250 million recapitalisation fund in 2025, similar to the allocation made in 2024.