Benue: Alia sends stern warning to workers collecting double salaries

The Benue State Government has vowed to take action against senior civil servants implicated in double dipping and receiving multiple salaries. The Chief Press Secretary to Governor Hyacinth Alia, Kula Tersoo, stated that the government will refer these individuals to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for further investigation and possible prosecution.

The state government recently conducted a staff audit, which revealed around 2,500 ghost workers, as well as other infractions such as double salaries, unlawful employment, salary padding, and payments to deceased and retired individuals. Tersoo emphasized that accountability and transparency are central to the present administration’s values, and senior civil servants found involved in such malpractices will face the consequences.

During the audit’s first phase, it was discovered that many senior civil servants were receiving salaries from three different entities: the state government, local government, and the Universal Basic Education Board. The government has already removed these individuals from the payroll and will forward their cases to the EFCC.

The governor of Benue State, Alia, revealed that the staff verification exercise has resulted in significant savings for the government. About N1.2 billion was saved monthly from removing ghost workers and schools. The ongoing exercise aims to uncover more fraudulent activities in the civil service and hold the perpetrators accountable.

Governor Alia assured that teachers whose salaries were delayed due to the audit process would receive their payments, and the committee responsible for the verification exercise would continue its efforts until all those involved in looting the state’s resources were identified and required to return the misappropriated funds.