NEWS
FG is handling ghost workers receiving salaries after relocating abroad, says Yemi-Esan
The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HOCSF), Folasade Yemi-Esan, has announced that the federal government discovered 1,618 ghost workers through the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS).
Yemi-Esan said this on Wednesday in Abuja during a parley to mark the 2024 Civil Service Week.
According to her, 69,308 civil servants, who participated in the compulsory verification exercise, have been “fully integrated” into the IPPIS.
She said government is now weeding out workers who relocated abroad but are still on the payroll.
“There are efforts to tackle Nigerians who have relocated abroad — doing new jobs but are still under the payroll of the civil service,” she said.
“The federal government is going hard on them as many of them are voluntarily resigning after the physical verifications.
“It is a Nigerian thing. We are running hard against the culture that tolerates it. Outsiders don’t know the bashing we get everyday trying to do the right thing.
“I expect that once the verification report comes, anybody who is not in the country automatically loses his job.
“What we discovered in the last month of that verification is that most of them are now resigning their appointments which is a good development.
“Recently, there was a circular that went out to all ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) that they should do a physical headcount in their MDAs.
“That means everybody on the nominal roll that is receiving salaries should appear physically and the names of those who did not show up for the exercise should be forwarded.”
Yemi-Esan advised CEOs and permanent secretaries in several MDAs of their liability should they supply inaccurate data.
Under the structured mandatory assessment-based program in the federal public service, 8,105 employees were trained, according to Yemi-Esan, therefore strengthening the ability of civil officials.
Approved in 2019 by former President Muhammadu Buhari, the head of service is scheduled for retirement in August.
