Osun payroll audit: UNIOSUN threatens legal action over ‘ghost workers’ allegation

By Deborah Oladejo, Osogbo –

The management of Osun State University (UNIOSUN) has threatened legal action against Sally Tibbot Consulting for allegedly listing 250 legitimate members of staff as ghost workers in the lingering controversy surrounding the 2023 personnel audit conducted by the Osun State Government through the firm.

The university authorities described the consultant’s report as subjective, made in bad faith and unprofessional, alleging that it was a deliberate attempt to smear the image and reputation of the university with falsehood and malice. They insisted that the affected workers were physically present during the verification exercise and duly submitted valid credentials.

Speaking during a press conference in Osogbo on Saturday, the Vice-Chancellor, Odunayo Adebooye, said the consultant even listed him among the ghost workers despite his direct participation in the exercise, describing the development as an insult to his office and the university. He noted that the university decided to respond publicly because its name had continued to feature prominently in the controversy, stressing that the institution’s intervention was solely to clarify facts and not to engage in political arguments.

Adebooye also alleged that the audit exercise was marred by operational irregularities, including inadequate and unskilled personnel, and the scheduling of 1,017 university workers for verification in a single day alongside other state employees, forcing staff to endure long hours under harsh conditions.

The Vice-Chancellor further accused the consultant of being ignorant of the operations of the university system, such as sabbatical leave, study leave, visiting lecturer appointments and research leave, which he said contributed to the wrongful classification of legitimate workers as ghost employees.

He added, “Having established the above, we request a formal apology to the institution and affected individuals from Sally Tibbot. The Vice-Chancellor and eminent professors have been bombarded by embarrassing telephone calls, messages and letters from local and international organisations because of the embarrassing audit report. We take exception to Sally Tibbot’s audit report and we are willing to take further necessary action as permitted by the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

Also reacting, the Chairman, Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), UNIOSUN branch, John Adebayo, whose name was also included on the ghost workers list, said the exercise was full of incompetence. He noted that he joined the university in 2007 as a pioneer staff member and currently serves as a Deputy Registrar.

Similarly, the Director of Works, Maintenance and Physical Planning of the institution, Engr. Ade Adepoju, said he was physically verified during the exercise and dismissed the audit report as baseless.