Nigeria dey still shock as Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) reveal say dem don discover 908 ghost workers for different ministries and government agencies.
ICPC, the anti-corruption body, say dem don recover about 942 million naira wey dem suspect dey linked to the ghost worker salary scam.
ICPC chairman, Barrister Musa Aliyu SAN, tell BBC say dem find the ghost workers after investigation wey dem start for 2024.
He say dem launch the investigation after dem discover fake pension payment for 2024.
Ghost workers na people wey dem put their names for payroll as employees, but dem no dey work at all.
Dem dey collect salary regular because their names don already enter the payment system, and when payment time reach, the money go enter their account, but dem no dey do any work.
Sometimes, senior officials dey insert the names, and then dem dey divert the salary to their own pocket.
Barrister Musa Adamu say during their investigation, dem find one man wey add im wife, pikin, and mother-in-law as ghost workers, while he dey collect salary for 12 workers.
The ICPC chairman say dem find at least 50 ministries and agencies wey get this problem, but he list five where the issue dey worse.
The Ministry of Defence dey number five for the list of ministries with many ghost workers.
For Ministry of Defence, we discover 19 people wey dey as ghost workers, he say.
This ministry dey oversee the country’s armed forces.
Other ministries include: The Nigerian Police Force dey top the list where ICPC find many ghost workers.
For this force, we discover 570 people wey we suspect na ghost workers wey dey collect salary but no dey work, he say.
The police force na one of the agencies wey dey recruit many workers.
Next agency wey ICPC find many ghost workers na the National Water Resources Institute.
For this agency, we discover 80 names wey dey collect salary, but dem no be staff of the agency, Barrister Adamu say.
The National Water Resources Institute dey responsible for providing drinking water for the country.
The Federal Ministry of Works na among the government agencies wey ICPC investigation find ghost workers.
We discover 56 ghost workers, Barrister Musa Adamu say.
This ministry dey oversee planning, construction, and maintenance of major roads across the country.
The ministry wey come fourth for the list of those with many ghost workers na the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
For this ministry, we discover 24 wey dey as ghost workers, the ICPC chairman say.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs dey handle Nigeria‘s relationship with other countries.
