Rivers - The former Head of Service (HOS) in Rivers, Mrs Esther Anuche, says the state government has reduced ghost workers in its service by 8 000.
Anucha disclosed this in Port Harcourt on Monday at a send-off ceremony organised for her by Etche indigenes in the state civil service.
She said she fought the ghost worker syndrome in the state service and reduced the state work force from 54 000 to 46 000.
Anucha, who was the first women head of service in the state, said her administration was characterised by industrial peace and harmony.
She said she served the state wholeheartedly and meritoriously, noting that selfless service paid.
Anucha said that she spare-headed the building of Public Service Institute (PSI), Chokocho, in Etche Local Government Area of the state and also introduced inter-ministerial sports competitions.
She said she retired a fulfilled woman having laid a solid foundation for a vibrant state civil service, and advised Etche indigenes in service to be good ambassadors of their community.
In his address, Mr Innocent Anyanwu, chairman of the organising committee, said Anuche’s administration had brought many Etche indigenes into the state service.
Anyanwu said Anucha’s administration had also trained and retrained civil servants and noted that training and retraining were very essential for success in every human endeavour.
He said that the retired Head of Service had worked hard and left a legacy of harmonious, robust and success-driven civil service and rewarded hard work in the state.
Anyanwu said that many Etche indigenes employed as cleaners, gardeners, security guards and messengers had retired on the same designation after serving for 35 years.
He said such development should be corrected in the state civil service.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Anuche retired in September, 2012.
NAN