Tough time now awaits ghost workers in Kwara state civil service as the state governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed threatened to flush them out of the system.

The governor who dropped the hint in Ilorin shortly after concluding his own verification exercise on Wednesday, said the intention was to enable the government save cost and provide more developmental projects. He further explained that the exercise was long overdue, asserting that it would go a long way to ensure proper data which would invariably enhance proper planning.

On his China trip, the governor explained that it was in response to the Federal Government's drive not only to support industrialization but create jobs for the teeming youths.

According to him, "We were in China and we met investors who were ready to come and invest on textile which will create platform for our teeming youths. "For us, it is a strong bond of encouraging backward integration because of the existing market in Nigeria and indeed Africa sub-region".

The governor further shed light on the N90billion bond to be given to the state governments by the Federal Government, explaining that the money was meant for budget augmentation. He said the money was not a loan as being thought by many, "it is just money that will replace what should have come in ordinarily from the Federated Allocation.

"By doing this, Federal Government is creating a window of support for all states of federation to augment their budgets". Meanwhile, the Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed has restated his commitment to finding a lasting solution to the lingering salary crises at the basic education level.

Governor Ahmed, who stated this during a meeting with stakeholders in the education sector in his office on Monday, said he was worried about the plight of primary and junior secondary teachers as well as other workers who were being owed salaries due to drop in federal allocation.

He told the meeting that he was working round the clock with other stakeholders to come up with a robust plan that will bring succor to the affected workers.

The Governor noted that although the local councils are responsible for salaries and pensions at the local government level, the state government remained committed to ensuring welfare of all categories of workers in the State.

Governor Ahmed also emphasized that the federal government's fresh bailout package for state governments, "is a budget support scheme, which is to enable states implement their budget in view of the current economic realities" . He said the package was not extended to local government councils because the Federal Government could not afford it.

Present at the meeting with the governor were the Secretary to the State Government (SSG); Alhaji Isiaka Gold, Chief of Staff; Yusuf Babatunde Abdulwahab, Head of Service; Hajia Zainab Umar and the State Commissioner for Education, Engr. Musa Yeketi and Chairman, House Committee on Education.

Others were Permanent Secretary, State Universal Basic Education (SUBEB); Dr. Oladimeji Dasuki, State NUT Chairman; Comrade Musa Abubakar and representatives of the State chapter of All Nigeria Conference of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPS).