Borno state governor, Babagana Zulum ordered the sanction of 21 health workers found with fake certificates, following a staff verification exercise that led to the discovery of 110 fake medical staff and ghost civil servants.

A statement in Maiduguri by the governor’s media aide, Isa Gusau, confirmed that the verification uncovered 91 ghost civil servants and N23 million misappropriated monthly.

“Anyone that fakes certificates in nursing and other medical courses is capable of killing people. Only God knows how many people they might have harmed or even killed. Honestly, we shouldn’t let this go. We should ensure appropriate actions are served to the culprits.

“I cannot be lenient on matters involving life and death. Importantly also, we have to employ measures to avert future occurrences,” said Mr Zulum.

Chairman of the verification committee, Joseph Jatau, revealed this on Monday, in Maiduguri, while presenting the committee’s report to Mr Zulum at the governor’s office annexe at the Musa Usman secretariat.

Mr Jatau explained that among those with fake certificates were nurses, other medical and support staff.

The chairman also pointed out that the government discovered 91 ghost workers in the lists of health workers in the state who had either resigned or withdrawn from service. But their salaries were still being paid in their names.

Similarly, the committee found that some dead retired and absconded staff were consistently promoted, with salaries also paid in their names, Mr Gusau revealed.

He explained that the committee made 13 recommendations to help reposition the health sector for optimal healthcare service delivery in the state.