FG Uncovers 6,000 Fake Workers at Information, Labour Ministries

Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja

The Head of Service of the Federation (HoSF), Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan, has disclosed that 6,000 workers without employment letters were detected in the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture, and the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity during the cleaning up of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).

She made the startling revelation in Abuja while briefing the media as part of the activities to mark the 2022 Civil Service Week.

Yemi-Esan, said 5,000 of the ghost workers were detected at the Ministry of Information while the director of Human Resources at the Ministry of Labour was handed over to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) after 1,000 fake workers were uncovered at the ministry.

She also stated that following sustained measures to clean up the system, the payroll has currently come down to 74,000 workers from over 100,000 workers that were earning salaries illegally.

The HoSF said many of the fake workers were detected from the payroll through the human components of the IPPIS, which was started few years ago and designed to verify credentials such as a person’s letters of appointment, academic certificates, age declaration at entry and birth certificate.

“You will be surprised at the number that did not have certificates and have been earning salaries for 10 to 20 years,” she said.

Yemi-Esan added that the Federal Civil Service Commission two months ago, while verifying letters of employment from 2010 to date, sent her 3,000 names of fake workers to be suspended from IPPIS for possessing bogus employment letters.

Also corroborating her revelation was the Permanent Secretary, General Services Office, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Dr. Maurice Mbaeri.

He said five fake workers were laid off at the OSGF last Tuesday after a screening exercise discovered they were neither validly employed through the Civil Service Commission nor could their files be found at the commission after further investigation.