The Jonglei state government says some civil servants and the local people are not appreciating an initiative to remove ghost names from the payrolls.

State authorities announced on Friday that the government had recovered almost one million pounds by screening out some 250 ghosts over the last three months.

“We are faced with difficulties at the grassroots because beneficiaries are not really appreciating the initiative of the government to save money for the benefit of all,” Mawut Achiek, Jonglei Secretary General, said.

“Those who were benefiting as individual are resisting this.”

He stated that the money will be added to the grant allocated to them by national government to fund the state budget.

But he says some workers are resisting the initiative.

“We cannot continue to pay people who have disappeared from their own workplaces since the crisis erupted in 2013.”

The accused civil servants and the local people are yet to respond.