Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) don uncover 908 suspected ghost workers for more than 50 Federal Government ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), with the Nigeria Police Force topping the list.
ICPC Chairman, Musa Adamu Aliyu (SAN), reveal the shocking discovery while speaking on the commission’s investigation into payroll fraud across government institutions.
According to the anti-corruption agency, dem don recover about ₦942 million wey fraudsters allegedly collect as fake salaries through the ghost worker scheme.
Ghost workers na fake names wey some people secretly insert into government payroll so dem fit dey collect salaries for people wey no exist or no work for the agencies.
ICPC say for some cases, government officials allegedly add names of family members and close associates to payroll despite say dem no be staff.
Aliyu reveal one particular case where one man allegedly put the names of him wife, son and mother-in-law for government payroll and still dey collect salaries for another 12 workers.
For the agencies wey ICPC investigate, the Nigeria Police Force get the highest number of suspected ghost workers.
“We identify 570 people wey we suspect say na fake workers wey dey collect salary without working,” Aliyu talk.
The National Water Resources Authority come second with 80 suspected ghost workers.
The Federal Ministry of Works get 56 suspected fake workers, while the Ministry of Foreign Affairs record 24.
ICPC also uncover 19 suspected ghost workers for the Ministry of Defence.
Other government institutions wey dey affected include, Federal Ministry of Electricity with17 suspected ghost workers, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment with 17 suspected ghost workers, Federal Ministry of Health with 15 suspected ghost workers, and Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation with 12 suspected ghost workers.
The Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation and the Federal Ministry of Interior also appear on the list, although ICPC no disclose the exact number of suspected ghost workers found there.
The commission say investigations still dey continue as authorities work to identify everybody involved in the payroll fraud and recover more government funds.
