The Federal Government of Nigeria has uncovered a massive fake employment racketeering scheme, resulting in the removal of 1,618 civil servants with fake employment letters from the government’s payroll. This revelation came during a media briefing by the Head of the Federation’s Civil Service, Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan, on June 19, 2024. The workers’ verification exercise, conducted by various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), aimed to tackle the long-standing issue of ghost workers and fraudulent employment practices in the public service sector.
As a result, the exercise reduced the previously inflated federal civil service workforce from over 100,000 to 69,308 verified employees. The verification process also caught some civil servants who had left the country for better overseas opportunities, but returned to complete their verification. Many of them tendered their resignation as they could not afford to spend additional time in Nigeria to perfect the verification process. This crackdown on fake employment racketeering is part of the government’s efforts to eradicate Corruption in the public service.
Civil service collaborates with anti-graft agencies.
Meanwhile, the head of Civil Service of the Federation has been collaborating with anti-graft agencies, such as the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), to address the widespread corruption in the system. The government aims to enhance the Federal Civil Service for better and more efficient service delivery to Nigerians. The current administration has made significant strides in transforming and digitising work processes, with a mandate for all MDAs to achieve full migration by the end of 2025.
Fake government employment racketeering is a pervasive issue in Nigeria. This illegal activity not only undermines the integrity of the public service but also deprives genuine citizens of employment opportunities. The government’s efforts to tackle this issue are commendable, and it is essential to sustain this momentum to ensure a corrupt-free public service. The verification exercise is a significant step towards sanitizing the public service and ensuring that only genuine employees are on the government’s payroll. The exercise also highlights the need for a more robust and efficient system to prevent fraudulent employment practices in the future.
ICPC and EFCC have helped in investigating these activities.
In recent years, Nigeria has witnessed a surge in fake employment racketeering, with many individuals and syndicates involved in the fraudulent practice. This illegal activity has led to the loss of millions of Naira in Salaries and allowances paid to ghost workers. The government’s efforts to tackle this issue are crucial to ensuring that public funds are used judiciously and that the public service is efficient and effective. The government’s collaboration with anti-graft agencies is also essential in tackling corruption in the public service.
Both the ICPC and the EFCC have been instrumental in investigating and prosecuting cases of corruption in the public service. The government’s efforts to digitise work processes will also help to reduce corruption and enhance transparency in the public service. The digitisation of work processes will also help to improve efficiency in the public service. With a more efficient system, the government can better manage its workforce and reduce the risk of fraudulent employment practices. The government’s aim to achieve full migration by the end of 2025 is commendable, and it is essential to sustain this momentum to ensure a corrupt-free public service.
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While the government’s efforts to tackle this issue are commendable, more needs to be done to ensure that the public service is corrupt-free. The government must continue to collaborate with anti-graft agencies and other stakeholders to tackle corruption in the public service. The public must also be aware of the fraudulent activities of fake employment racketeers and report any suspicious activities to the appropriate authorities. The government must also provide alternative employment opportunities for genuine citizens who are seeking employment.
