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…Says re-verification confirms inflation of alleged ghost workers
From Lateef Dada, Osogbo
The Osun State Government has refuted allegations made by Sally Tibbot Limited regarding a cover-up of ghost workers within the state public service, labeling the company’s recent press briefing as an attempt to exert pressure for a fraudulent staff audit report.
In a statement yesterday, Kolapo Alimi, the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, stated that the high number of alleged ghost workers identified by the consultant triggered a re-verification exercise. This exercise, he noted, revealed that many individuals previously categorized as ghost workers were, in fact, legitimate employees of the state.
The state government is willing to provide evidence of these employees’ existence if requested, but asserted that Sally Tibbot Limited neither requested such proof nor submitted an acceptance letter for payment related to the roughly 1,316 workers they claimed were unseen.
The government deemed the situation suspicious, particularly since the fees charged by the company were based on the savings made from the payroll, suggesting greed on the part of the consultant. They highlighted issues such as the consultant’s exclusion of staff during the auditing process and mistreatment of workers throughout the audit.
While emphasizing its commitment to cleaning up the state payroll, the government affirmed that it cannot remove legitimate employees without due diligence and will not accept an audit report that could lead to further fraud.
The Osun State Government indicated it has the right to review an audit report prior to implementation. They identified open gaps, verifiable lapses, and significant discrepancies in the initial audit that warranted forming a verification committee as a step before acting on the staff audit report.
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Sally Tibbot Consulting (Nig.) Ltd had identified 8,448 workers as unseen, along with 6,713 retirees labeled as ghost retirees. However, the Osun State Government’s analysis confirmed 8,015 of these workers as active, while 433 were unreachable.
“Among the retirees, 5,830 were confirmed, and 883 could not be reached. This indicates a significant reduction in the numbers Sally Tibbot presented, showing only 1,316 true “unseen” personnel, contradicting the company’s inflated claims of 15,161.”
In response to a letter from Jiti Ogunye Esq., representing Sally Tibbot, the Osun State Government demanded precise details on the savings attributed to their verification. They proposed payment based on the actual ghost workers identified—around 1,316—while further verification could be conducted.
“On July 23, 2025, the consultant’s counsel insisted on payment based on the inflated figure of 15,161, disregarding the agreement stipulating payment relative to actual savings. The Osun State Government reiterated that payment would only be made based on verified savings.
“The state government’s verification committee recommended that salaries, pensions, and benefits for unseen staff be permanently halted from July 2025. They also proposed a payment to the consultant of ₦48,740,125.68, which represents 159% of the annual savings resulting from the re-verification exercise, in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding between the state and the consulting firm.
“The government stands firm on the integrity and findings of its re-verification committee, emphasizing their commitment to transparency and accountability in the management of public resources,” Alimi said.
