A controversy of epic proportions has engulfed the Osun State Government, with a local audit firm, Sally Tibbot, accusing the government of harbouring thousands of ghost workers on its payroll. The firm claims that its audit revealed 8,452 ghost workers, which could be costing the government a staggering N13.72 billion annually. However, the Osun State Government has vehemently disputed these claims, labelling the audit report as flawed and inaccurate.
According to Sally Tibbot’s audit, the state payroll as of January 2023 listed 37,456 active staff and 17,918 pensioners, with a monthly wage bill of N4.48 billion. However, after verification, the firm claimed that only 29,004 staff were genuine, leaving 8,452 alleged ghost workers. The government, however, says a state-led reverification exercise showed that a vast majority of the names originally flagged as ghost personnel were legitimate employees or retirees.
The government’s reverification exercise revealed that out of 8,448 active workers labelled as unseen during the audit, 8,015 were confirmed as genuine, with only 433 unreachable. Similarly, of 6,713 retirees initially listed as ghost pensioners, 5,830 were verified, leaving 883 unverified. The state government insists that the total number of unverifiable individuals is about 1,316, far lower than the 15,161 claimed by the consulting firm.
The controversy has taken a bitter turn, with Sally Tibbot accusing the Osun State Government of refusing to pay agreed fees and failing to implement its recommendations. The government, on the other hand, claims it has evidence to support its position and has accused the firm of conducting a flawed audit.
This scandal highlights the pervasive corruption and lack of transparency that plagues Nigeria’s public sector. The Osun State Government’s response to the allegations raises eyebrows, and it is imperative that an independent investigation is conducted to get to the bottom of this controversy. The people of Osun State deserve to know the truth about their government’s payroll and the alleged ghost workers.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other anti-corruption agencies must step in to investigate this scandal and hold those responsible accountable. The allegations of corruption and cover-up are serious and must be treated as such. The Osun State Government must also come clean and provide evidence to support its claims. The truth must prevail in this controversy.
