By Ephraim Emmanuel
The Rivers State Local Government Service Commission has refuted widespread reports claiming it dismissed 21,000 workers across the state’s 23 local government areas, describing the allegations as false, misleading, and a gross misrepresentation of facts.
In a statement signed by Favour Azubuike, Senior Special Assistant on Media to the Commission’s Chairman, the agency clarified that a biometric verification exercise launched in late 2025 was aimed strictly at auditing personnel records to eliminate ghost workers, prevent duplicate entries, and curb inflated wage bills resulting from unauthorized recruitment.
The Commission emphasized that the audit was conducted transparently and collaboratively with key stakeholders, including the Office of the Head of Service, the Accountant General, the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), and the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), whose representatives actively monitored the process across all councils.
It also dismissed claims that the verification was politically motivated or designed to pool resources ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Reassuring council employees, the Commission stated that no legitimate worker has been disengaged, adding that staff status will be determined strictly in line with verified data and established Public Service Rules.
To ensure fairness, the Commission announced plans to set up a dedicated complaints committee to resolve legitimate grievances, urging civil servants and the public to disregard rumors of mass dismissals.
