The Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, has announced savings of ₦5 billion from the state’s August salary bill, following a comprehensive staff verification exercise that uncovered non-existent workers and payroll impostors.

Retired Vice Admiral Ibas disclosed this on Tuesday at the grand finale of the 2025 Civil Service Week held at the Obi Wali International Conference Centre in Port Harcourt.

According to him, the funds recovered would be redirected to critical infrastructure and social projects aimed at accelerating sustainable development in the state.

“This verification exercise has enabled us to distinguish genuine staff from impostors on the payroll,” the Administrator stated. “The ₦5 billion saved is a testament to our commitment to fiscal responsibility. These funds will be strategically invested in projects that directly benefit the people of Rivers State.”

The event, themed “Five Years to 2030: Accelerating Public Service Delivery for a Sustainable Future,” also highlighted the new reform agenda for the state civil service.

Key Reforms Announced Included:

Enhanced Welfare: Upward review of salaries and allowances for Heads of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to close wage gaps with political appointees, alongside the introduction of a new ₦85,000 minimum wage at the local government level

Capacity Building: Large-scale training programmes for finance and accounting officers, with additional 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 payment, and the enrollment of all pensioners in the state’s contributory health scheme.

Health & Insurance: Mandatory enrollment of all civil servants in the contributory health protection programme (government contributing 17%, staff 8%) and the rollout of a Group Life Insurance policy to secure benefits for families of deceased workers.

Media Revitalisation: Overhaul of state-owned media houses, including Rivers State Broadcasting Corporation (RSBC), Rivers State Television (RSTV), and The Newspaper Corporation, through renovations, new equipment, and modernisation.

The Administrator further pledged his administration’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and excellence in governance.

In addition, the Acting Head of Service, Dr. Inyingi Brown, unveiled the new Rivers State Civil Service Handbook and the maiden edition of The Bureaucrat magazine.

She also introduced a new pledge, vision, and mission statement for the service, stressing the importance of technology in building a responsive and efficient workforce.