The Taraba State Governor Agbu Kefas
The Coalition of Taraba Youths for Reform and Governance (CTYRG) has dissociated itself from what it described as sponsored protests allegedly aimed at discrediting the ongoing reform process under the administration of Governor Agbu Kefas in Taraba State.
The coalition warned against attempts to blackmail members of the Civil Service Verification Committee, urging civil servants with genuine grievances to present their documents to the committee or the Office of the Head of Service for proper review and resolution.
Addressing journalists on Thursday in Jalingo, the state capital, the group called on the state government to remain focused and resolute in implementing the reforms, noting that the exercise was already repositioning the Taraba State Civil Service for transparency, efficiency, and sustainable development.
Speaking through its leader, Manri Joshua, the group, which passed a vote of confidence in the Kefas-led administration over the ongoing civil service reform and staff verification exercise, said the coalition had carefully monitored the process and its outcomes, describing the initiative as timely and necessary to restore sanity within the civil service.
According to the coalition, official records revealed that the state’s civil service workforce increased from about 19,000 employees in June 2023 to approximately 25,000 by July 2025. CTYRG alleged that 6,528 names were irregularly added to the state payroll without proper executive approval.
The coalition explained that these discoveries prompted Governor Kefas to order a comprehensive staff verification exercise in November 2024. Findings from the exercise showed that out of the 6,528 individuals expected to be verified, only 3,183 appeared, while 3,345 failed to participate.
“The report further revealed that 1,049 of those who appeared could not be traced to the payroll records of any Ministry, Department, or Agency (MDA),” the coalition stated.
CTYRG emphasised that the findings pointed to internal sabotage within the civil service rather than genuine employment. This, it said, led to the constitution of a Biometric Verification Committee in 2025, chaired by the Permanent Secretary, General Services, Government House.
Further investigations allegedly revealed that the 1,049 individuals were not on the official payroll but had obtained appointment letters fraudulently from unscrupulous civil servants.
The coalition noted that the cleanup exercise had helped restore fiscal discipline and freed up resources for governance and development projects across the state.
“Based on the outcomes of the exercise, we express full confidence in the Kefas-led administration and endorse the work of the Civil Service Verification Committee,” the group said.
CTYRG also distanced itself from the planned sponsored protests aimed at undermining the reform process and warned against any attempts to intimidate or blackmail committee members.
“We urge civil servants with legitimate grievances to submit their documents to the verification committee or the Office of the Head of Service for proper consideration,” the coalition added.
It will be recalled that a group reportedly identified as ghost workers had earlier concluded plans to stage a protest at the Government House to press their demands.
