An audit conducted on behalf of the Osun State Government in 2023 has raised concerns about the presence of over 500 potential ghost workers on the state’s payroll, a claim that has been swiftly rejected by the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Osun chapter.
The audit, which was carried out by a consulting firm between July and August 2023, involved a thorough verification process that included biometric data capture and the submission of credentials from all civil servants and pensioners in the state.
The exercise began at the Centre for Black Culture and International Understanding in Osogbo before being expanded to all nine federal constituencies in Osun.
Despite some initial opposition from labor unions, citing the negative impact of previous audits, the verification continued as planned.
The findings of the audit revealed that several ministries, departments, and institutions had individuals receiving salaries without proof of active service.
At Osun State College of Technology, Esa-Oke, the audit report revealed that nearly 280 out of approximately 300 staff members were flagged as ghost workers, including high-ranking officials such as the Rector, Deputy Rector, Registrar, and Bursar.
One staff member, who requested anonymity for fear of retaliation, confirmed the large number of flagged staff: “About 280 staff, including top management, were identified as ghost workers.”
The audit also identified around 257 staff members at Osun State University, Osogbo, as either improperly documented or non-existent, including more than 100 professors.
In response to the audit, Christopher Arapasopo, the NLC Chairman for Osun State, strongly denied the existence of any ghost workers.
He stated, “There are no ghost workers in the state at the moment. We are still conducting the audit.”
Attempts to get an official comment from the Osun State government were unsuccessful. Calls to the Head of Service, Mr. Ayanleye Aina, went unanswered, and his brief text reply was: “Request noted.”