President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered civil servants who moved abroad and are still receiving salaries without officially resigning, to return the salaries they received during the period or face severe sanctions.
Tinubu who gave the directive at the 2024 Civil Service Awards and Gala Night held at the Continental Hotel Abuja on Saturday, also directed that the supervisors and department heads of the perpetrators should also be punished for aiding and abetting in the fraud he oversaw.
Tinubu’s order comes following recent revelations by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dr Folasade Yemi-Esan, that there are government employees who have moved abroad but are still receiving salaries without officially resigning.
The President, represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, expressed disappointment with the attitude of the “foreign-based” ghost workers.
“During my recent visit to South Africa, I kept up with the week’s activities,” Tinubu said.
“I was very surprised by the revelations made by the Head of the State Civil Service regarding employees who moved abroad while receiving salaries without officially resigning.
“It is encouraging to hear that steps have been taken to address this issue, but we must ensure those responsible are held accountable and provide redress.
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“Perpetrators must be asked to return the money they have collected fraudulently.
Their supervisors and heads of departments must also be punished for aiding and abetting the fraud they perpetrated,” Tinubu said.
He warned that the Civil Service cannot simply be a workplace where ‘anything is possible and where workers break the rules without fear of punishment or repercussions.
Tinubu reiterated that the government will take appropriate action to ensure they are punished and the money is returned to government coffers.
“Civil servants in any country are too important for such abuses to be entrenched or tolerated.
“Civil Servants are the foundation, engine, locomotive of government, which the government needs to distribute public goods to citizens. “As politicians, we are nothing more than locomotive drivers that you provide,” he said.
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