Breaking: Federal Government Discovers Employees Living Abroad While Drawing Salaries in Nigeria

Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan, Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HOCSF), announced that a recent physical verification exercise exposed employees living abroad while still drawing salaries from Nigeria.

Yemi-Esan made this revelation during a discussion with media executives on Wednesday in Abuja, as part of the 2024 Civil Service Week activities. The theme for the celebration is ‘Educate an African Fit for the 21st Century: Building Resilient Education Systems for Increased Access to Inclusive, Lifelong, Quality and Relevant Learning in Africa.’

The HOCSF noted that many civil servants resigned after failing to complete the verification exercise, which was designed to eliminate corruption and improve the civil service.

A recent circular required all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to conduct a physical headcount of employees. Those not showing up were to be reported, and Permanent Secretaries and CEOs providing false information would be held accountable.

The government planned to stop salaries for those who had left the service improperly but continued to draw pay. Yemi-Esan observed that the issue was more prevalent in parastatals than in core ministries.

She recounted an instance where employees returned from the UK for verification, only to be told to come back in two weeks, knowing they couldn’t due to their commitments abroad. Many affected workers resigned, realizing their misconduct was discovered.

Yemi-Esan condemned the practice of civil servants traveling abroad without official permission while still receiving salaries, emphasizing the injustice to millions of unemployed Nigerians. She also thanked media partners for supporting the reforms her office has implemented since she took office.