According to the findings of the Arms and Personnel Audit Committee, which was established by the governor of Abia State, Alex Otti, the state loses over N194 million annually to fictitious and ghost security personnel.
After auditing the functioning of two state security organizations, Abia State Vigilante Service (AVS) and Abia Homeland Security Watch (AHLSW), the committee made this statement in its report to the governor.
The committee chairman, Emmanuel Ogbuehi, claimed they found the existence of ghost/fake workers in both security outfits yesterday when delivering the report to the governor, Dr. Caleb Ajagba, through the Chief of Staff. He revealed that around N194 million was lost annually as a result.
Ajagba, who commended the committee members for successfully executing their assignment, said that the Otti administration would study the report and implement appropriate recommendations that would enhance the security of life and property in the state.
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According to him, the commitment shown by the committee members in the discharge of their duties was a demonstration that the state has a great future, adding that he was not surprised at their timely delivery, justifying their painstaking selection for the assignment.
Ajagba said it is dangerous to the government for security personnel to be part of ghost workers, adding that for any society to make progress, there must be zero crime and corruption.
The escalated insecurity scenario in the state, especially at Aba, the commercial nerve centre of the state, during the tenure of former governor Orji Uzor Kalu, now senator, from 1999 to 2007, necessitated the creation of the state Vigilante Service (Bakassi).
Similarly, the immediate past governor of the state, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, created the Ministry of Homeland Security, which engaged security personnel that were deployed across the state.
Although the two security outfits made some impacts, it was gathered that their funding was within the limit of resources available to the government.
According to a security expert, who pleaded anonymity, the two security outfits operated within operational inadequacies that included irregular payment of salaries, allowances, and logistics.
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