Osun State Rocked by N13.7 Billion Ghost Worker Scandal as Government Denies Allegations
An explosive audit report has uncovered an alleged massive payroll fraud scheme in Osun State, southwest Nigeria, involving thousands of ghost workers and pensioners. According to findings presented by audit firm Sally Tibbot Limited, the state loses approximately N13.7 billion annually to non-existent employees and fraudulent payroll practices.
Consultant Reveals Extensive Forensic Audit Findings
Sadat Bakrin-Ottun, chief executive officer of Sally Tibbot Limited, disclosed these startling revelations during an appearance on Channels Television's Politics Tonight program. She explained that her firm was formally engaged by the Osun State government through a contract awarded in April 2023, following a proposal submission in January of the same year.
The comprehensive audit mandate covered:
- Staff verification across the entire civil service
- Payroll re-engineering and validation exercises
- Examination of local government payroll systems
- Review of State Universal Basic Education Board records
- Assessment of Teaching Service Commission payroll
- Audit of state-owned tertiary institutions
- Verification of all state and local government pensioners
Bakrin-Ottun described this as one of the most extensive payroll audits ever conducted in Osun State's history, designed specifically to verify every individual drawing salaries or pensions from the state treasury. The consultants are now preparing to petition Nigeria's anti-graft agencies, including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), to investigate those allegedly responsible for siphoning billions of naira from state coffers.
Osun State Government Issues Strong Denial
In a swift and forceful response, the Osun State Government has categorically dismissed the allegations as fake news allegedly sponsored by political opponents. Kolapo Alimi, the commissioner for information and public enlightenment, issued an official statement rejecting the claims and shifting responsibility to the previous administration.
The government's position includes several key assertions:
- No N13 billion payroll fraud exists according to their verification
- More than two-thirds of those declared ghost workers are actually bonafide staff with proper identification
- Governor Ademola Adeleke initiated the audit project himself to investigate inherited payroll irregularities
- Any potential fraud would have occurred under former Governor Gboyega Oyetola's administration
- The current government welcomes investigation by anti-corruption agencies
The statement emphasized that Governor Adeleke hired the consultant specifically to probe reports and rumors of padded payroll inherited from the previous administration. If there is any fraud, it is not that of Governor Adeleke but that of former Governor Oyetola, as the audited payroll was inherited from the Oyetola administration, the government declared.
Political Implications and Broader Context
This scandal emerges amid ongoing political tensions in Osun State, with the current People's Democratic Party (PDP) administration frequently clashing with the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC). The timing of these revelations, just over a year into Governor Adeleke's term, suggests potential political motivations behind both the audit findings and the government's response.
Separately, the Osun State Government has also recently addressed claims about local government salary payments, rejecting narratives that LG workers are not receiving their salaries and describing such reports as inaccurate and misleading. This indicates broader concerns about payroll management and transparency across multiple levels of government administration in the state.
The involvement of national anti-corruption agencies could escalate this matter beyond state politics, potentially leading to formal investigations that might uncover systemic issues in public sector payroll management. As both sides prepare their cases, the people of Osun State await clarity on how billions of naira intended for public servants may have been diverted, and who bears responsibility for these alleged financial irregularities.
