Bauchi State to Provide Monthly Allowances for Religious Leaders, Uncovers 3,000 Ghost Workers

The Bauchi State government has approved a plan to pay monthly stipends to Imams and Pastors across the state. The decision was made during the State Economic Council meeting on Friday, chaired by Governor Bala Mohammed.

Addressing the press afterward, the Head of the Civil Service, Barrister Mohammed Sani Umar, stated that the policy includes Imams of Juma’at mosques and clergy from various Christian denominations. He assured that the payments would be made equitably and that the government is finalizing the financial framework to ensure the initiative’s long-term viability.

The council also sanctioned the commencement of salary payments for newly installed Emirs and District Heads, with the necessary funding already arranged.

In a related development, the Governor’s Chief Economic Adviser, Alhaji Yahuza Adamu Haruna, announced that a payroll audit conducted in partnership with Onyx Investment Advisory Limited identified over 3,000 non-existent workers, leading to savings exceeding ₦4.16 billion for the state.

Haruna added that since the state government assumed direct control of salary payments in August 2024, complaints regarding payroll irregularities have ceased entirely.