Consultant Uncovers 8,452 Ghost Workers in Osun

A forensic audit firm called Sally Tibbot Consulting has discovered over 8,000 "ghost workers" on the Osun State payroll. These are fake names or people who don't actually work but are still receiving salaries from the government.

This fraud is costing the state a huge amount of money about N13.7 billion every year. The head of the firm, Sa’adat Bakrin-Ottun, revealed these shocking numbers during a press conference in Lagos. She said the money is being stolen through a corrupt system.

 audit started in May 2023 and covered everyone from civil servants to teachers and pensioners. It took six months to finish and was described as a very difficult task. The consultants even faced threats while trying to uncover the truth.

​As of early 2023, the state was paying out over N4.4 billion every month in salaries and pensions. The audit showed that many of the people on that list were not real or were not supposed to be there. This discovery is a big blow to the state's finances.

far, the Osun State Government has not given a full response to these heavy allegations. The consulting firm insists that if these fake workers are removed, the state will save a lot of money that can be used for real development.