Osun denies N13bn payroll scam, says APC behind renewed allegation
By Deborah Oladejo, Osogbo –
The Osun State Government has described the renewed claims of a N13 billion payroll scam by Sally Tibbot Limited as fake news allegedly sponsored by the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The government insisted that there was no payroll fraud, noting that verification of the controversial audit report confirmed that more than two-thirds of those labelled as ghost workers were bona fide staff with full identification and documentation.
In a statement issued on Friday by the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Oluomo Kolapo Alimi, the government reiterated that Governor Ademola Adeleke remained open to an investigation of the staff audit report by anti-corruption agencies, stressing that he initiated the audit exercise, particularly as it covered the period between 2018 and November 2023.
Alimi maintained that the consultant was engaged to investigate alleged payroll padding inherited from the administration of former governor Gboyega Oyetola, arguing that if any fraud existed, it was from Oyetola’s administration.
The commissioner said the governor would be pleased if the alleged 15,000 ghost workers could be identified and welcomed possible intervention by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), describing the consultant’s call for their involvement as acceptable.
Alimi noted that the involvement of Dr Deji Adeleke followed information that bona fide civil servants were being declared as ghost workers, adding that he wanted to ensure that no legitimate workers were unjustly laid off or dismissed.
According to him, a review committee comprising representatives of the consultant and labour unions was subsequently proposed and accepted to address the loopholes and ensure seamless implementation. “The review committee, to which the firm agreed, later discovered that out of 8,448 workers declared as unseen by Sally Tibbot, 8,015 were confirmed as active workers, while 433 were found to be unreachable. Also, out of the total 6,713 retirees declared as ghost pensioners, the committee confirmed 5,830, while 883 could not be reached,” he alleged.
While restating its readiness for intervention by anti-corruption agencies, the state government accused the consultant of serving as a willing tool for the All Progressives Congress (APC), adding that “the APC-sponsored fake news has failed.”
