Note of Warning:
ANY Nigerian Employer that recruits, conceal Ghost Workers will Face the Full Wrath of the Law-President Muhammadu BUHARI
…Heads of government Ministries, Departments and Agencies who label new projects as ongoing will be penalised
*Federal government will strike a balance to maintain social equilibrium, mitigate effects of economic hardship, reduce cost of governance
*I have confidence that Nigeria’s anti-corruption agency, ICPC will continue to maintain vigilance
*BY BELLO IDRIS/Judiciary & Military Correspondent, Abuja
NIGERIAN President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), has without pretense sent out a note of warning to leadership in various ministries in the nation’s public service, stating that any form of corruption will not be tolerated. He said those in the public service who recruit, conceal, and defend the activities of ghost workers, saying that they will be severely punished. This is as he said heads of government Ministries, Departments and Agencies who label new projects as ongoing will be penalised when found out.
Buhari said this on Tuesday at the State House, Abuja, in his address at the 3rd National Summit on Diminishing Corruption in the Public Sector themed ‘Corruption and Cost of Governance: New Imperatives for Fiscal Transparency.’
Buhari said, “Government will strike a balance to maintain social equilibrium, mitigate the effects of the economic hardship and at the same time reduce the cost of governance.
“Nevertheless, those who illegally bring in personnel into the public service and conceal ghost workers must be and will be severely punished”.
Speaking on the increased cost of governance, the President said, “Some MDAs have devised a fraudulent practice of presenting new projects as ongoing projects.
“Sanctions will be meted out to the heads of such errant MDAs. I have confidence that the ICPC will continue to maintain the vigilance required.”
Earlier, Buhari had presented the 2021 public service integrity awards to three recipients.
They include Assistant Commander of Narcotics, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Muhammed Ahmed, Deputy Director, Legal, Federal Ministry of Information and Culture, Nelson Okoronkwo, and a Nigerian PhD student in Japan, Ikenna Nweke, who the President named Citizens Anti-corruption Volunteer Group Icon.
ICPC Certificates of Integrity were also presented to four other public servants including Ifalolu Ifabiyi, a Chief Technical Officer at the Office of the Secretary to the Federal Government; Umar Tsoho, an Assistant Director at the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development; Okoli Ukamaka, a Director at FCT Pensions; and Sebastian Zoemlong, an Assistant Chief Admin Officer at the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
CERTAINLY, Good journalism costs a lot of money. Without doubt, only good journalism can ensure the possibility of a good society, an accountable democracy, and a transparent government. We are ready to hold every corrupt government accountable to the citizens. To continually enjoy free access to the best investigative journalism in Nigeria, we are requesting of you to consider making a modest support to this noble endeavor.
By contributing to NAIJA STANDARD NEWSPAPER, you are helping to sustain a journalism of relevance and ensuring it remains free and available to all without fear or favor.
Your donation is voluntary — please decide how much and how often you want to give. For offline donation, email: letters@nigeriastandardnewspaper.com or call +2348037128048 (Nigeria) or +16825834890 (United States of America)
donation
Comments