ICPC probes civil service for ghost workers

BY Soni Daniel, Regional Editor, North & Caleb Anyasina
ABUJA—Alarmed by the revelation that no fewer than 45,000 ghost workers are being paid with public funds, Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, ICPC, has deployed its crack detectives to comb ministries, department and agencies, MDAs, to fish out those who are perpetrating the massive fraud.

The commission believes the outcome of its investigation will enable it to pick out MDAs to return illegal funds to the government coffers. Chairman of the ICPC, Mr. Ekpo Nta, gave the indication in an exclusive interview with Vanguard yesterday.

The finding would also aid the anti-graft agency in fishing out those aiding and abetting the crime against the general interest and economic progress of Nigeria.

The chairman said the investigation was to establish the different agencies where the ghost workers were used in ripping off the nation and bring the culprits to book to serve as a deterrent to others.

Minister of State for Finance, Yerima Ngama, who revealed the existence of ghost workers in the Federal Government’s payroll, pointed out that no fewer than 251 MDAs were involved in the scam, which had cost the nation over N100 billion.

Ngama said the discovery was made possible with the introduction of Integrated Payroll and Personal Information system and that the Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, had briefed the Federal Executive Council, FEC, on the ugly development.

Nta told Vanguard: “We have to sanitise Nigeria for our future generations. We have already issued instructions to our staff to check and confirm the agencies where the ghost workers are and report back.

“We needed to do that so that we could pinpoint where monies could be returned to the government. But we have to follow what the law says in prosecuting and convicting corrupt persons.”

Nta regretted, however, that while Nigerians were eager to see corrupt Nigerians punished, the average Nigerian was not ready to report and give information on corrupt practices being perpetrated under his or her nose.

Ghost workers: ICPC operatives comb MDAs for culprits

…Sets March deadline for vetting unspent budget

Soni Daniel, Regional

Editor, North and Caleb Anyasina

ABJA—Alarmed by the revelation that no fewer than 45,000 ghost workers are being paid with public funds, Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, ICPC, has deployed its crack detectives to comb ministries, department and agencies, MDAs, to fish out those who are perpetrating the massive fraud.

The commission believes the outcome of its investigation will enable it to pick out MDAs to return illegal funds to the government coffers. Chairman of the ICPC, Mr. Ekpo Nta, gave the indication in an exclusive interview Vanguard yesterday.

The finding would also aid the anti-graft agency in fishing out those aiding and abetting the crime against the general interest and economic progress of Nigeria.

The chairman said the investigation was to establish the different agencies where the ghost workers were used in ripping off the nation and bring the culprits to book to serve as a deterrent to others.

Minister of State for Finance, Yerima Ngama, who revealed the existence of ghost workers in the Federal Government’s payroll, pointed out that no fewer than 251 MDAs were involved in the scam, which had cost the nation over N100 billion.

Ngama said the discovery was made possible with the introduction of Integrated Payroll and Personal Information system and that the Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, had briefed the Federal Executive Council, FEC, on the ugly development.

Nta told Vanguard: “We have to sanitise Nigeria for our future generations. We have already issued instructions to our staff to check and confirm the agencies where the ghost workers are and report back.

“We needed to do that so that we could pinpoint where monies could be returned to the government. But we have to follow what the law says in prosecuting and convicting corrupt persons.”

Nta regretted, however, that while Nigerians were eager to see corrupt Nigerians punished, the average Nigerian was not ready to report and give information on corrupt practices being perpetrated under his or her nose.