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The Rivers State Local Government Service Commission has dismissed allegations that it sacked 21,000 local government employees across the state's 23 councils, describing the claim as false, malicious and politically motivated.
The commission was reacting to a publication by a group identified as the Initiative for Transparent Strategy and Good Leadership, which alleged that thousands of workers had been arbitrarily dismissed.
In a statement issued on Thursday by the Special Assistant on Media to the Chairman of the Commission, Favour Azubuike, the commission said the report was a gross misrepresentation of facts aimed at tarnishing its image and creating political tension in the state.
According to the commission, the ongoing biometric verification of local government workers is a routine administrative exercise designed to update personnel records, verify staff strength and eliminate ghost workers and duplicate entries from the payroll.
It explained that the exercise began in October 2025 following complaints by local government chairmen over bloated wage bills and alleged irregular recruitment.
The commission added that the verification process was transparent and inclusive, with a steering committee comprising representatives of the Office of the Head of Service, Office of the Accountant General, the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) and the Local Government Service Commission.
It noted that NULGE officials monitored the exercise in all 23 local government areas to ensure credibility.
The commission also rejected claims that the biometric exercise was intended to generate funds for the 2027 general elections, insisting that the verification was strictly an administrative and fiscal responsibility measure with no political agenda.
It maintained that no genuine local government employee had been dismissed or denied legitimate entitlements, stressing that any decision regarding staff status would be based on verified records and in line with the Public Service Rules.
The commission disclosed that plans were underway to establish a complaints committee to address grievances arising from the verification exercise.
It urged members of the public to disregard the allegations, reaffirming its commitment to repositioning the local government system for efficient service delivery and sustainable development in Rivers State.
