Wike confirms 1,659 FCTA staff appointments as 224 absentees spark ghost worker concerns

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has approved the confirmation of appointment for 1,659 staff members of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) after they successfully completed a confirmation examination organised by the FCT Civil Service Commission.

The exercise covered employees recruited in different phases, including those engaged as far back as 2016 and 2019.

In a statement issued on Sunday by the Minister’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, the Chairman of the FCT Civil Service Commission, Emeka Ezeh, said the confirmed workers were part of the 2,281 officers who sat for the confirmation examination conducted on February 28, 2026.

Ezeh explained that 2,512 officers were initially invited for the exercise, but only 2,281 attended, leaving 224 absent.

According to him, the failure of the affected officers to appear for the examination has raised suspicion that some names on the list may belong to ghost workers.

He added that while some of those who participated were recruited in 2016 and 2019, others joined the service shortly before Wike assumed office as FCT Minister in August 2023.

Meanwhile, the commission disclosed that preparations have been concluded for the conduct of the 2025 and 2026 promotion exercises for qualified FCTA workers.

The statement noted that the promotion exercises received approval from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as part of efforts to improve staff morale and strengthen the workforce in line with the administration’s Renewed Hope agenda.