Bauchi ghost health workers exposed as over 100 names identified in crackdown; state vows punishment under civil service rules
Bauchi Ghost Health Workers have been exposed in what authorities are calling a major internal purge of the state’s healthcare payroll.
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Over 100 non-existent workers have been identified during a verification exercise led by the Bauchi State Hospital Management Board, signaling a firm government stance on cleaning up systemic fraud in the public sector.
Speaking at a press briefing in Bauchi on Thursday, Mr. Sambo Alkali, Executive Chairman of the board, confirmed the discovery and vowed that all identified ghost workers would be punished in line with civil service rules.
He stated that the names would soon be presented to Governor Bala Mohammed for further disciplinary action.
“We have uncovered more than 100 ghost health workers from five of our facilities,” Alkali revealed.
“This is part of a wider effort to sanitize the system and improve healthcare delivery.”
The Bauchi Ghost Health Workers scandal comes amid ongoing efforts by the state government to address medical workforce shortages.
Alkali noted that under a new scheme approved by the governor, more than 40 qualified doctors, including consultants and medical officers, have been engaged and strategically deployed based on data-driven analysis.
He also emphasized that the governor had mandated a comprehensive gap analysis and a new healthcare service scheme aimed at making Bauchi more attractive to skilled medical personnel.
A key feature of this plan is a proposal to align state health workers’ salaries with federal pay scales — a move expected to boost morale and retention.
Meanwhile, Health Commissioner Muhammed Dambam disclosed additional state-level health initiatives, including the establishment of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) facilities to combat child malnutrition.
The state has also pledged to recapitalize the drugs and consumables agency with ₦250 million, continuing its financial support from the previous year.
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The exposure of the Bauchi Ghost Health Workers highlights the ongoing challenges of payroll fraud in Nigeria’s public institutions, but also signals a strong political will to enforce accountability and restore trust in the system.
