Osun government refutes payroll fraud allegations

From Lateef Dada, Osogbo

The Osun State Government has staunchly denied allegations of a N13 billion payroll scam levied by Sally Tibbot Limited, labeling the renewed claims as “fake news” sponsored by the All Progressives Congress (APC).

In a statement by the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, on Friday, the government affirmed that the audit report’s assertions are inaccurate, stating that over two-thirds of those classified as ghost workers are, in fact, legitimate staff with proper identification.

Alimi explained that Governor Ademola Adeleke initiated the audit to investigate allegations of inflated payrolls inherited from the previous administration under Gboyega Oyetola. He emphasized that if any fraudulent activities were to be identified, they would stem from Oyetola’s tenure, not Adeleke’s.

Alimi expressed the governor’s openness to ensure accountability, noting that the governor’s intent to uncover any ghost workers, illustrating Adeleke’s commitment to transparency. “We welcome any investigation from anti-corruption agencies regarding this audit,” Alimi said.

The commissioner added that Dr. Deji, who became involved in the audit, acted upon concerns that legitimate civil servants were mistakenly classified as ghost workers. He highlighted the governor’s proactive approach to validate the audit by seeking to involve the consultant at a personal level to address the findings.

The government’s statement also revealed that during a review committee’s investigation, only 433 out of 8,448 workers labeled as ghost workers were deemed unreachable, while the majority were confirmed as active staff. Additionally, of 6,713 retirees declared as ghost pensioners, 5,830 were verified, with 883 unverified.

Alimi accused Sally Tibbot of inflating the number of alleged ghost workers to claim a larger fee, asserting that their estimated figures had dramatically decreased, leading to a reduced consultancy payment.

The statement quoted the Vice-Chancellor of Osun State University, Prof. Adeboye, as expressing outrage over being listed as a ghost worker, along with other staff from various institutions. He described the audit conducted by Sally Tibbot as a “charade” and indicative of gross incompetence, suggesting it was a targeted attack on workers.

Prof. Adeboye revealed that many affected employees are now considering legal action against the consulting firm for damages incurred from the wrongful classification.