The Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, has declared a savings of ₦5 billion from the state’s salary bill for August, following a thorough verification process that revealed fictitious employees and payroll fraudsters.
Retired Vice Admiral Ibas made this announcement on Tuesday during the grand finale of the 2025 Civil Service Week, which took place at the Obi Wali International Conference Centre in Port Harcourt.
He stated that the recovered funds would be allocated to essential infrastructure and social initiatives designed to promote sustainable development within the state.
“This verification process has allowed us to differentiate between legitimate staff and impostors on the payroll,” the Administrator remarked. “The ₦5 billion saved reflects our dedication to fiscal responsibility. These funds will be strategically invested in projects that will directly benefit the residents of Rivers State.”
The event, themed “Five Years to 2030: Accelerating Public Service Delivery for a Sustainable Future,” also emphasized the new reform agenda for the state civil service.
Key Reforms Announced Included:
Enhanced Welfare: An upward adjustment of salaries and allowances for Heads of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to bridge wage disparities with political appointees, along with the introduction of a new minimum wage of ₦85,000 at the local government level.
Media Revitalisation: A comprehensive reform of state-owned media entities, such as the Rivers State Broadcasting Corporation (RSBC), Rivers State Television (RSTV), and The Newspaper Corporation, through renovations, acquisition of new equipment, and modernization.
The Administrator additionally reaffirmed his administration’s dedication to transparency, accountability, and excellence in governance.
Moreover, the Acting Head of Service, Dr. Inyingi Brown, presented the new Rivers State Civil Service Handbook along with the inaugural edition of The Bureaucrat magazine.
She also introduced a new pledge, vision, and mission statement for the service, emphasizing the significance of technology in fostering a responsive and efficient workforce.
Capacity Building: Extensive training programs for finance and accounting personnel, with further training planned for senior and mid-level staff.
Pensioner Support: An increase in monthly pension allocations from ₦2 billion to ₦2.6 billion, ensuring timely payments, and the inclusion of all pensioners in the state’s contributory health scheme.
Health & Insurance: Mandatory enrollment of all civil servants in the contributory health protection program (with the government contributing 17% and staff 8%) and the implementation of a Group Life Insurance policy to provide benefits for the families of deceased workers.
