9th August, 2011
The Finance and General Purpose Committee of Sagbama Local Government of Bayelsa has uncovered a N10 million monthly wage scam, a report stated.
The report, released on Monday, states that scam involves more than 29 dead staff and 77 ghost workers, whose names have been used by unscrupulous council officials to collect salaries and defraud the council since 2003.
The report of the five-member committee, forwarded to the office of the Deputy Governor, Mr. Wernipre Seibarogu, and the Local Government Service Commission, further stated that the practice had been unnoticed over the years.
It shows that aside from the names of more than 29 dead staff discovered to have been collecting salaries since 2003, another 44 staff members were found to have falsified their ages and on sick bed due to old age.
Among them were 14 persons found to be non-indigenes of the area, who were working in other local government areas of the state.
The report said many allegedly scanned appointment letters and were collecting salaries in the local council.
The Chairman of the Council, Mr. Pere Peretu, who unveiled the report in company of the members of the legislative arm of the council, said the report was certified by the legislators.
He, however, said that those involved in the scam would not be prosecuted but advised to accept the verdict of the committee.
Peretu said that his administration had provided quality leadership and executed development projects to the people of the area in spite of limited resources.
He said the council was limited by inadequate funds but had managed to overhaul the council’s electrical system, invest in the on-going Chairman’s office building and built and equipped two new administrative offices at the council secretariat.