OYSG stops salaries of 16,532 workers …including 7 NYSC Members collecting multiple salaries

By; Bayo Akamo, Ibadan.
The Secretary to Oyo State Government (SSG), Alhaji Olalekan Alli Wedday said the state government has identified 16,532 workers with “issue” on its payroll.
Addressing journalists at a press conference held at the Western Hall, Secretariat Ibadan, the SSG declared that the salaries of the 16,532 affected workers are to be suspended until further notice.
The SSG pointed out that of the number, 569 workers including 7 NYSC Members were alleged of collecting multiple salaries, falsification of retirement age, and using multiple bank accounts to conceal financial illegalities.
He added that 1, 277 employees who had passed retirement age were still collecting salaries on monthly basis from the state government.
Disclosing that all the affected workers were from different Ministries, Departments and Parastatals of the Oyo State government, he said the government has set up a five-man staff verification panel to further probe the affected workers “on a one-on-one basis” within the next two weeks after which the government will formally make public the results of the Panel’s findings and recommendations.
“After this forensic computerized data audit, the consultants from the Nigerian Interbank Settlement System (NIBB) Plc found many instances of inconsistencies, variations and entry details that did not tally. In all, 16, 532, employees out of a total 100, 259 analyzed were found to have such issues requiring further clarification,” he said.
The SSG declared that the on-going staff verification exercise in Oyo State should not be seen as witch hunting but as a means of determining the extent of the multiple salary payments with the suspects found guilty be made to refund all the illegally drawn salaries as legal actions would be taken against them accordingly.
Speaking further, he disclosed that Oyo state government “is poised to recover all monies credited but not accessed following BVN revelations“.
He pointed out that the affected 16, 532 workers having issues in their data “are not automatically thrown out of work nor are they confirmed guilty of any financial illegalities yet” until after the final pronouncement of the Staff Verification Panel.
“By matching our employees Bank Verification Numbers with other personnel data voluntarily supplied by all workers, the consultants were able to determine the consistency or otherwise in our staffing records”.
“After this forensic computerized data audit, the consultants from the Nigerian Interbank Settlement System (NIBB) Plc found many instances of inconsistencies, variations and entry details that did not tally. In all, 16,532, employees out of a total 100, 259 analyzed were found to have such issues requiring further clarification.”
The SSG told newsmen that the on-going staff verification exercise would determine the extent of the multiple salary payments while culprits would be vigorously pursued to make refunds of illegally drawn salaries as legal actions would be taken against them accordingly.