Wike confirms appointment of 1,659 FCTA workers as 224 absentees raise ghost worker suspicion

MINISTER of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has approved the confirmation of appointment of 1,659 staff of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), following the completion of a confirmation examination conducted by the FCT Civil Service Commission.

The confirmation exercise involved workers employed in different phases, including those recruited as far back as 2016 and 2019.

In a statement issued on Sunday by the Senior Special Assistant to the Minister on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, the Chairman of the FCT Civil Service Commission, Emeka Ezeh, disclosed that the confirmed staff were among the 2,281 officers who participated in the confirmation examination held on February 28, 2026.

Ezeh explained that a total of 2,512 candidates were invited to sit for the exercise, but only 2,281 appeared, leaving 224 officers absent.

According to him, the absence of the affected officers has raised suspicion that some of them might be ghost workers.

“Two thousand five hundred and twelve candidates were invited to present themselves for the confirmation examination, but only 2,281 turned up for the exercise,” he said.

“A total of 224 officers were absent, fuelling suspicion that they could be ghost workers.”

He further noted that while some of the officers who participated in the exercise were employed as far back as 2016 and 2019, others were recruited shortly before Wike assumed office as FCT Minister in August 2023.

Meanwhile, the commission said arrangements have been concluded to conduct the 2025 and 2026 promotion exercises for eligible staff of the FCTA.

The promotions, according to the statement, were approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as part of efforts to boost morale and strengthen the workforce in line with the administration’s Renewed Hope agenda.