The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said on Tuesday that the Federal Government had uncovered 37,395 ghost workers on the Federal Civil Service payroll and that the government lost about N1 billion to them.
Acting Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, who stated this at the EFCC Anti-corruption Sensitization Programme organised for the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, however, stated that violators of the provisions of the Procurement Act risk five to 10 years imprisonment.
Magu, who lamented the widespread procurement fraud in Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs, further disclosed that civil servants found guilty under the Act might also face dismissal from service.
Magu said that EFCC would not spare anyone found to be involved in fraud against the Nigerian people.
“The programme, which we are flagging-off this morning, is specially designed for employees of public and private institutions. It is aimed at bringing the fight against corruption, economic and financial crimes to the doorstep of this Ministry,’’ he said.
The anti-graft Czar, who expressed the readiness of the Commission to rid MDAs of all forms of fraudulent activities, added that the sudden rise in the number of petitions relating to the violations of the Public Procurement Ac( 2007) had led to the setting up of a Procurement Fraud Unit within the Commission.
He added that the EFCC was working in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Office of the Account-General of the Federation to weed out ghost workers.
“Currently, EFCC working in close collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Office of the Account-General of the Federation has uncovered 37,395 ghost workers in the Federal civil service.
“Our investigations have so far revealed that the Federal Government has lost close to N1 billion to these ghost workers. The figure will definitely increase as we unravel more ghost workers buried deep in Federal Civil Service payrolls.”
Magu also expressed his gratitude to the Minister for Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, SAN; Minister of State, Power, Works and Housing, Alhaji Mustafa Baba Shauri and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, Eng. Abubakar Magaji for accepting to partner the EFCC in the anti-graft war.
In his remark, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, Engr. Abubakar Magaji, urged civil servants to collectively fight the monster of corruption in public service, adding that the fight could not be fought by one person.
According to him, “Corruption, as we know is generally responsible for the high level of illiteracy, poverty and low level of infrastructural provision in the states of the Federation and the nation in general.”
He also commended the EFCC for initiating the programme which, according to him, would serve as a guide to all the staff of the Ministry
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