ghost workers on the payroll of the Federal
Civil Service
– The EFCC’s investigation has revealed
that the federal government has lost close
to N1 billion to these ghost workers
– Ibrahim Magu, the EFCC boss, said
that anti-graft agency had established a
Procurement Fraud Unit in order to handle
the increasing number of petitions relating
to violations of the Public Procurement
Laws
– He advised civil servants to avoid any act
that was in breach of public procurement
Ibrahim Magu urged civil servants to avoid
any act that was in breach of public
procurement.
The Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (EFCC) has revealed that the
federal government uncovered 37,395 ghost
workers on the payroll of the Federal Civil
Service.
News men reports that Ibrahim Magu,
the chairman of the EFCC, made the
disclosure on Tuesday, April 19, during an
anti-corruption sensitisation programme
organised by the anti-graft agency for staff
of works and housing sectors.
“EFCC has uncovered 37,395 ghost workers in
the Federal Civil Service and investigation is
still going on.
“Our investigations have so far revealed that
the federal government has lost close to N1
billion to these ghost workers.
“The figure will definitely increase as we
unravel more ghost workers buried deep in
Federal Civil Service payrolls,” he said.
The EFCC boss revealed that the anti-graft
agency had established a Procurement
Fraud Unit in order to handle the increasing
number of petitions relating to violations of
the Public Procurement Laws.
Expressing serious concern, Magu urged civil
servants to avoid any act that was in breach
of public procurement.
“Let me warn that civil servants found guilty
under the Public Procurement Act risk terms
of imprisonment ranging from five to 10 years,
and in addition, may face dismissal from
service.
“The commission is determined more than
ever before to rid all MDAs of all forms of
fraudulent activities,” he stressed.
Magu also announced that the EFCC was
planning to place suggestion boxes for
people to assist the commission in its anti-
corruption war by dropping petitions and
reporting of corrupt practices.
In his speech, Abubakar Magaji, the
permanent secretary (works and housing),
stressed that Ministries, Departments and
Agencies (MDAs) should be in the forefront
of compliance with public service laws and
regulations.
“It is rather sad that over time, the laws,
regulations and standard practice governing
the operations of the public service are being
neglected and often abused, in many cases
with impunity.
“The MDAs are expected to be in the forefront
of compliance with extant laws and
regulations, because they (MDAs), collectively,
constitute the engine room of government.
“They are responsible for implementation of
government policies and programmes.
Therefore, the success or failure of such
policies and programmes are fully on the
shoulders of public officers,” he concluded.
Magaji announced that the works and
housing sectors would regularly organize
interactive sessions to re-orientate officers
on the importance of compliance with laws,
regulations and guidelines.
On March 9, Kemi Adeosun, the minister of
finance, revealed that the federal
government would soon expose 11,000 ghost
workers who have been on its payroll.
She disclosed that her ministry was
employing computer techniques to
investigate the 11,000 affected cases and
assured Nigerians that they would be
informed on the money saved from the
exercise.
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