An audit exercise carried out for the Osun State Government in 2023 has sparked controversy following revelations that over 500 individuals allegedly on the state’s payroll could not be verified as genuine workers. However, the Osun State chapter of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has firmly rejected the report.
The verification, led by a consultancy firm between July and August 2023, involved on-site checks, biometric enrollment, and document validation for state employees and pensioners.
Initially launched at the Centre for Black Culture and International Understanding in Osogbo, the exercise was later extended to all nine federal constituencies across the state.
Although labour unions had raised concerns based on negative experiences from previous audits, the process continued as planned.
According to the audit findings, several ministries, agencies, and institutions showed inconsistencies in staff records, with a number of individuals allegedly receiving salaries without being actively engaged.
At the Osun State College of Technology, Esa-Oke, around 280 staff members—out of slightly more than 300—were flagged as ghost workers. Senior officials such as the Rector, Deputy Rector, Registrar, and Bursar were reportedly included in the list.
A source within the institution, who requested anonymity, confirmed, “Nearly 280 staff, including top management, were marked as ghost workers.”
The report also indicated that approximately 257 individuals at Osun State University, Osogbo, were either not traceable or lacked adequate employment documentation. This included over 100 professors.
Reacting to the report, NLC Chairman in Osun, Christopher Arapasopo, dismissed the allegations outright. “There are no ghost workers in Osun at the moment,” he stated. “We are still undergoing the audit process.”
Attempts to reach state officials for a formal comment were unsuccessful. Calls to the Head of Service, Ayanleye Aina, went unanswered, while his text message response simply read, “Request noted.”
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