25 civil servants working for Ondo State Government have been suspended for placing fictitious names in workers payroll.
Among the affected workers was a man, who employed and placed workers without any interview on Grade Level 14 and has been collecting salaries without going to work.
Dr. Doyin Adebowale, the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu on Special Duties, said the various offences include stealing millions of naira, employment racketeering and use of fictitious names in the pay roll. The suspects were later handed over to the authorities.
Amongst the suspended civil servants was a staff who allegedly stole a sum of N104million from (SUBEB) the State Universal Basic Education Board. The suspended civil servants were caught by Mr. Alex Aragbaye the Head of Service after reforms carried out.
He stated, “We are here because of certain suspects whom the governor directed that we should prosecute. In the civil service, there has been this stealing going on undetected. They do it in several ways especially through staff list.
“We have people who added fictitious figures in the payroll. When the new Head of Service got into office, he put in place certain reforms to make us know those in actual service.
“We were able to discover that certain elements whose names appear on staff list were never employed. A particular man employed his wife and placed her on Grade Level 14. She never attended interview but she had been collecting salaries.
“One of them moved N104 million out of SUBEB account. We have other instances of other millions of naira moved. These were pure stealing. They have been suspended. They will be prosecuted and made to face disciplinary measures.”
