Benue govt to hand over civil servants involved in ghost-workers racketeering to EFCC

The government of Benue State has stated that it will refer senior governmental workers accused of receiving numerous salaries and double dipping to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for further investigation and prosecution.

Kula Tersoo, the governor’s chief press secretary, made this statement on Friday when he hosted members of the state’s Correspondents’ Chapel, led by Emmanuel Antswen, at his office.

The state administration said on Thursday that it had discovered roughly 2,500 ghost workers during its staff audit, noting that the state also had ghost schools, double-dipping incidences, illegal employment, wage padding, and payments to the deceased and retired.

Read Also: Benue govt uncovers 2,500 ghost teachers, LGA staff, saves N1.2bn

Tersoo, who said accountability and transparency remained the hallmark of the present administration, noted that people should not be taken aback when anti-graft agencies began inviting senior civil servants for questioning.

He said during the first phase of the staff audit, it was discovered that many senior civil servants were collecting salaries from three different places; the state government, local government and the Universal Basic Education Board.

He added, “We already know some of them and they have been removed from the entire payroll. We are waiting for them to report that they have not been paid and that would be them reporting themselves. Those who were collecting double salaries as senior staff will be handed over to the EFCC for investigation and possible prosecution.”

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