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An audit by the CGE exposed commissioned positions without proven activity in 20 agencies of the Rio de Janeiro government and led to a wave of dismissals that is already reducing the payroll by millions per month.
An audit by the General Comptroller of the State of Rio de Janeiro, conducted in conjunction with the Institutional Security Office, found a scenario of strong irregularity in the state government departments: in some departments, up to 80% of the commissioned employees were classified as ghost workers. The occupants of these positions were dismissed after cross-referencing access data to electronic systems with records of entry and exit from public buildings.
The impact is already visible on the state’s account. The dismissals resulting from the survey represent an estimated saving of R$ 16.7 million per month, according to the government. Since the beginning of Ricardo Couto’s interim administration, more than four thousand commissioned employees have been dismissed, in an offensive that is still expected to advance over other state administration agencies.
The survey was published by ConJur and indicates that the audit began with 20 public administration agencies. The identification of employees without evidence of functional activity occurred due to the absence of records showing presence or use of government systems.
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Work and Income had the highest rate of irregularities
Among the analyzed departments, Work and Income topped the list, with 78% of commissioned employees showing no signs of functional exercise. Following were Sports and Leisure, with 75%, and Tourism, with 73%.
The report also found rates above half of the staff in Science and Technology and Agriculture, both with 65%, as well as Social Assistance, with 59%, and Civil House, with 58%. In the Health Department, the identified percentage was 46%.
Monthly savings already reach R$ 16.7 million
With the dismissals, the state government claims that the payroll reduction is already generating monthly savings of R$ 16.7 million for the public coffers. The official projection is that the cut will reach around R$ 230 million by the end of the year.
The number helps to gauge the financial scope of the audit: it is not just an internal sweep, but a change that directly affects personnel expenses in the state.
Audit should advance to other agencies in the coming weeks
The government reported that the oversight continues and will be expanded to other state administration agencies in the coming weeks. The new phase is expected to have technical support from employees seconded by the State Court of Auditors of Rio de Janeiro and the Municipal Court of Auditors of Rio de Janeiro.
The intention is to increase control over commissioned positions and identify new irregularities, while the state tries to close the door on appointments without proof of effective work. With the first results already exposed, the audit becomes one of the toughest measures of the current administration on the public machinery of Rio de Janeiro.
Now, the pressure is on the next agencies to be audited. If you want, share this article and tell us in the comments what you think about the size of the deficit found in the Rio government.
