Firm alleges state loses N13.7b to payroll fraud
Audit firm, Salivot Consulting, has raised concerns on a N13.7 billion annual payroll infraction involving suspected ghost workers and pensioners in Osun State. Chief Executive Officer, Ms. Sadat Bakrin-Ottun, spoke
Audit firm, Salivot Consulting, has raised concerns on a N13.7 billion annual payroll infraction involving suspected ghost workers and pensioners in Osun State.
Chief Executive Officer, Ms. Sadat Bakrin-Ottun, spoke in a television interview, saying a 12-month forensic audit showed the state is losing N13.7 billion yearly to non-existent employees and alleged payroll practice under Governor Ademola Adeleke.
The audit report said about over 8,000 workers and 5,800 pensioners were flagged.
Bakrin-Ottun said the audit reportedly commissioned by the administration to sanitise the workforce identified 8,452 workers and 5,831 pensioners, who failed to present themselves for physical and biometric verification.
Among the most startling discoveries were alleged cases of extreme payroll manipulation.
She claimed one bank account linked to a single Bank Verification Number was receiving 962 separate salaries monthly, while another account was reportedly credited with 5,615 monthly salaries.
But the state accused the firm of misconduct and exaggerating figures to increase its earnings under a “no savings, no pay” contract arrangement.
State officials insist only 1,316 remain unverified.
They added that most individuals flagged by the firm are legitimate workers who the state declined to remove from the payroll in good conscience.
Bakrin-Ottun dismissed the rebuttal, maintaining that the process was thorough and backed by biometric data.
She alleged that although Governor Adeleke initially supported the exercise, implementation stalled after the report was submitted in July 2024.
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According to her, tensions escalated when she demanded accountability for the allegedly siphoned funds, resulting in a breakdown in relations with senior officials, including the Chief of Staff.
The firm’s legal counsel, J.T.O. Uwazuruike, stated that the dispute has gone beyond unpaid contractual fees.
Following the state government’s public challenge to the firm’s integrity, the consultants now plan to petition the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate those allegedly responsible for siphoning billions of naira from the state treasury.
While the state government is yet to provide a detailed response to the specific allegations of multiple salary payments into single accounts, the controversy continues to cast doubt on its claim of reducing the monthly wage bill by N1 billion.
As the standoff deepens, stakeholders are calling for transparency and an independent probe to clarify the true state of Osun’s payroll system.
