Ghost Worker Syndrome and Public Sector Productivity in Kogi State Civil Service: A 21st Century Malaise

Ghost worker syndrome continues to be a persistent drain on public resources, particularly in Kogi State. This phenomenon involves non-existent employees receiving salaries or multiple payments from the same individual under various identities. This results in a delay in service delivery and a decrease in productivity. This study investigates the impact of ghost worker syndrome on public sector efficiency in Kogi State using quantitative methods, data obtained were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Based on responses from 774 civil servants and payroll administrators, findings reveal that ghost workers inflate wage bills by ₦1 billion monthly and reduce efficiency by 0.65 units per regression analysis which suggests that fraudulent payroll practices has a substantial impact on diminishing government effectiveness in Kogi state with monumental corruption, inadequate institutional controls, and insufficient transparency as significant factors contributing to the prevalence of ghost worker syndrome in the state. Based on the above findings, the study recommended implementing comprehensive payroll management systems, conducting regular audits and verification exercises, and enhancing institutional controls and accountability mechanisms to tackle this malaise undermining productivity and efficiency in Kogi state public bureaucracy.