An audit report reveals that there are nearly 24,000 non-existent workers.
The Nigerian government has taken the current anti-corruption crusade to the public service with audits carried out to find out the number of civil servants who are effectively working and also to expunge the names of non-existent workers from the payroll.
A recent audit revealed that nearly 24,000 workers were non-existent and their names have been removed from the government payroll, BBC reported citing Finance Ministry statement. The ministry has also revealed that the deletion of names of non-existent workers from the payroll has enabled government to save around 11.5 million US Dollars per month.
The audit started last December used biometric data and a bank verification number to identify holders of bank accounts into which salaries were being paid. This process allowed the identification of some workers who were receiving a salary that did not correspond to the names linked to the bank accounts. The audit also revealed that some employees were receiving salaries from multiple sources. Some 23,846 non-existent workers were removed from the payroll, an adviser to the finance minister was quoted by news agencies as saying.
Periodic checks and electronic audit techniques will be periodically carried out to prevent new frauds, the ministry said. "The government plans to undertake periodic checks and to utilise Computer Assisted Audit Techniques under its new Continuous Audit Programme. This will ensure that all payments are accurate and valid,” the statement from the Ministry disclosed and added that, “requirements for new entrants joining the Federal Civil Service have also been enhanced to prevent the introduction of fictitious employees in future."
Officials have said the savings resulted from the anti-corruption measures will help the country tackle its crisis and prevent job cuts. Salaries for government staff take up to 40 per cent of the annual expenditure in Nigeria and the administration has promised to streamline the payments hereafter.
