A statement by Special Assistant, Media to the Minister of Finance, Festus Akanbi, Monday, confirmed that following the audit exercise, the salary bill for this month had reduced by N2.293bn when compared to the wages paid in December 2015 when the BVN audit process commenced.
The ministry stated that the figure represented a percentage of the number of non-existent workers who had hitherto been receiving salary from various ministries, departments and agencies.
It stated that the findings showed that some civil servants’ salaries were not consistent with the names linked to the accounts into which their salaries were paid.
The statement added that some individuals in this category were either receiving salary payments from multiple sources, parastatals or they were non-existent workers. It was further explained that the investigation of other suspected cases continues in conjunction with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The ministry also hinted that Federal Government, in collaboration with the concerned banks and the National Pension Commission (Pencom) was also taking actions to pursue recovery of salary balances in bank accounts as well as any pension contributions in respect of the deleted workers.
“The Federal Government is also taking actions to pursue recovery of salary balances in bank accounts as well as any pension contributions in respect of the deleted workers.
“This involves active collaboration with the concerned banks and the National Pension Commission (Pencom),” the statement said.
It reported also that the Military Pension Board had revised the amount payable for its due pension contributions on a monthly basis by N575m, following its annual verification exercise for military retirees. With the development, it stated that this reduced the number of pensioners by 19, 203 as a result of deaths since the last verification exercise in 2012 even as it restated Federal Government’s determination to continue the verification programme on a regular periodic basis in its efforts to reduce personnel cost.
The ministry clarified: “Due to the fact that personnel costs represent over 40 per cent of total government expenditure, the Federal Government would continue to strengthen its payroll controls.
“It plans to undertake periodic checks and to utilise Computer Assisted Audit Techniques under its new Continuous Audit Programme.
“This will ensure that all payments are accurate and valid. Requirements for new entrants joining the federal civil service have also been enhanced to prevent the introduction of fictitious employees in future. “The ongoing exercise, which is part of the cost-saving and anticorruption agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, is key to funding the deficit in the 2016 budget, as savings made will ultimately reduce the amount to be borrowed.”
On recent call by the leadership of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, ASCSN, that the panel members investigating cases of indicted civil servants be drawn from both government and labour, the ministry explained that the request could not be acceded to, as the investigations were of a criminal nature and would therefore be handled by appropriate investigative agencies.
