E-X-P-O-S-E-D: Bank Officials Use Ghost Workers, Non-Existing Schools To Defraud Adamawa Of Over N306m
By Adetokunbo Fakeye
A committee probing the problem of non payment of some newly recruited teachers in Adamawa state has discovered a large scale fraud perpetrated by officials of a bank in the state, two principal staff of e-payment unit of the state Accountant-General’s office and three account staff of the state Post Primary schools Management Board.
The fraud amounting to 306 Mixon naira was allegedly perpetrated using 920 ghost workers and 61 non-existing schools.
According to information, the fraud was orchestrated by inserting names of some dead workers and pensioners, those on secondment and civil servants holding political offices.
The syndicate allegedly perpetrated the fraud by operating salary accounts for 61 non-existing staff and had cornered N50m as at the time the shady deal was uncovered. Over N300m had also been pocketed through the use of pseudo names for 920 ghost workers.
It was also discovered that the syndicate have formed the habits of posting double salaries to some workers in their salary accounts through the bank which is the custodian of the state government fund with the assistance of bank officials in the deal.
These deposits according to findings are promptly mopped up and shared by the suspects.
Confirming the fraud, the state Head of Service (HOS), Mr Musa Kaibo, told newsmen in an interview in Yola that some others discovered still enjoying their salaries included those who withdrew their services from the state government and those on secondment.
Kaibo said the discovery was made at the Adamawa state Post Primary School Management Board (PPSMB) following investigation by a committee probing the problem of non payment of some newly recruited teachers in the board.
He said four staff comprising two from e-payment office of the Accountant General and two from the PPSMB had been suspended for their alleged involvement in the suspected fraud.
“Government is shocked by this discovery at the board and had to mandate the committee to expand it probe to other ministries and departments”, Kaibo said.
Also confirming the development, the state Commissioner for Finance, Alhaji Ibrahim Buba Vokna, revealed that the account of the 181 people involved in Board had been blocked saving N8.8 million in March salary of the PPMB.
He confirmed that since the establishment of the e-payment Unit, five years ago, it has not been audited which according to him, was responsible for the leakages.