Consultant Uncovers 8,452 Ghost Workers on Osun Payroll

A consultancy team engaged by the Osun State Government has uncovered 8,452 ghost workers on the state’s payroll, raising serious concerns about public expenditure and accountability. The discovery was made during a comprehensive payroll review meant to strengthen financial management and cut waste in government spending. Officials said the findings reflect systemic weaknesses in personnel records and underscore the urgent need for reforms in human resource administration across ministries and agencies. (punchng.com)

According to the consultancy report seen by government officials, the ghost workers included names that were no longer employed, duplicate entries, and individuals who never existed but whose salaries were being paid from public funds. State authorities have indicated that this discovery followed a directive to verify all staff records against National Identity Numbers (NIN), Bank Verification Numbers (BVN) and other valid identification data, a move aimed at ensuring the accuracy of the civil service payroll. The exercise also involved biometric verification and reconciliation of employee records with relevant public service databases.

The Osun State Head of Service confirmed that the removal of the identified ghost workers will result in significant savings for the state treasury, which can then be redirected toward critical areas such as healthcare, education, and infrastructure. The consultant’s findings have also prompted calls for the establishment of stronger internal controls, regular payroll audits, and the automation of human resource processes to prevent similar abuses in the future.

The state government said it will now commence legal and administrative processes to recover funds paid to ghost workers and pursue sanctions against officials found responsible for facilitating the irregular payments. What do you think should be done to ensure payroll integrity and prevent the reappearance of ghost workers in public service? Comment below and share your thoughts.

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