The Kano State Government has uncovered a massive payroll fraud involving 3,234 ghost workers, including a 13-year-old pupil and National Youth Service Corps members.
The discovery was made following an investigation ordered by Governor Kabiru Yusuf, who had directed the immediate suspension of salaries of over 10,000 public servants recruited at the tail end of the administration of his predecessor, Abdullahi Ganduje.
The investigation revealed that the former administration had illegally employed the workers without following proper procedures and without capturing the financial implications in the 2023 budget.
“It is sad to discover that the majority of those recruited did not go through the former screening exercise while some got the job with fake certificates,” said Secretary to the State Government, Dr Abdullahi Bichi.
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The committee investigating the fraud also discovered that a 13-year-old pupil had been receiving a salary through her mother’s bank account, who is a worker in the public service.
“The mother of the 13-year-old girl confirmed to the committee that she had been receiving salaries through her bank account,” Bichi said.
The government has approved a recommendation to offer employment opportunities to 9,332 affected workers with the relevant qualifications. However, appropriate sanctions will be meted out to those involved in the fraud, including the mother of the 13-year-old pupil.
This incident highlights the need for stricter hiring procedures and oversight in the public sector to prevent such fraudulent activities from occurring in the future.
