The State Auditor -General, Comrade John Odey has described the inauguration of the Complaints and Anti- Corruption Commission as a welcome development in the fight against financial impropriety in the State.

Speaking shortly after the inauguration of the Commission by Governor Ben Ayade in Calabar, Comrade Odey who is a member of the Commission, noted that not only will the Commission check leakages as mandated by the Governor,but will also strive to put a check on other financial misdemeanor In connection to the State finances.

He maintained that financial impropriety if not checked can cause losses that would have been ploughed back to the Socio economic development of the State and commended the Governor, Senator Ben Ayade for the decisive move in setting up the Commission.

Other members of the Commission include Justice Eyo Effiom Ita (rtd)-Chairman, Auditor -General for Local Government,Franca Inok, representative of the Department of State Services (DSS)- Mr. Faluyi Oluwale, representative of the Nigerian Police Force,CSP Emmanuel Adam,Barr Akinde Emmanuel and Mr.Iferi Eni Okoi.

The Cross River State Head of Service Mrs. Geraldine Enyang Akpet-Ekanem has admonished Auditors in the State Government to join hands with the State Government to ensure that Ghost Workers are fished out from the State Payroll.

She gave this admonition while meeting with Auditors in the State Civil Service recently in Calabar.

Mrs. Ekanem who maintained that Ghost Workers have become a financial burden to the State Government, said the Governor Senator Ben Ayade has frowned at the situation where the wage bill of the State keeps increasing astronomically.

The Head of Service added that as part of measures to ensure that the actual number of Civil Servants is ascertained, the Office of the Head of Service will undertake a Personnel Staff Audit exercise to further ‘fish out Ghost workers as well as those receiving double salaries’ as well as partner banks handling salaries’ payment to further assist in ‘sorting out issues with the payroll’.

Earlier in his remarks, the Cross River State Auditor-General, Comrade John Odey (FCNA), expressed appreciation to the Head of Service for the visit which he said reflects her interest in repositioning the State.

He described the meeting as a first in the history of the State and called for a monthly submission of Staff Nominal Role duly signed by the Directors/Heads of Administration to the Office of the Auditor –General by way of checking Ghost workers.

Comrade Odey charged auditors going forward to show interest in the nominal role of their respective MDAs as this will go a long way to curb the issues of Ghost workers in the State.

In separate responses, some auditors stressed the need for them to be part of the Personnel Audit team in subsequent exercises maintaining that they have the wherewithal to identify discrepancies.