UNIOSUN Demands Apology, Threatens Lawsuit Over Audit Report Listing 250 Staff As Ghost Workers

The management of Osun State University (UNIOSUN) has called on Sally Tibbot Ltd to tender a formal apology over a payroll audit report that allegedly identified 250 members of its staff as “ghost workers.”

Speaking with journalists in Osogbo on Saturday, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Clement Adebooye, warned that the institution would not hesitate to seek legal redress if the consulting firm failed to retract its claims and apologise.

Adebooye disclosed that although he personally participated in the staff verification exercise, his name still appeared on the ghost workers’ list in the report released after the audit.

According to him, 249 other employees were similarly labelled, a development he described as damaging to the university’s credibility.

“The Governing Council and Management of Osun State University view the consultant’s report as being precariously subjective, in bad faith, unprofessional and a deliberate attempt to smear the image and reputation of the University with falsehood and malice,” he said.

The vice chancellor further argued that the consultant appeared unfamiliar with the peculiarities of university staffing structures, such as sabbatical appointments, study leave, visiting lecturer engagements and research leave.

He explained that several bona fide employees who were on duly approved leave were incorrectly classified as ghost workers.

“The listing of 250 members of staff (on ground) as ghost workers laid credence to the suspicion that Sally Tibbot focused on her returns rather than the accountability objective of the exercise.

“The University unequivocally questions the methodological basis upon which the ghost workers list was drawn, particularly in the light of documented evidence of physical verification,” he said.

The university reiterated its demand for a formal apology to both the institution and the affected staff members, stressing that failure to comply could lead to court action.

“We request a formal apology to the institution and affected individuals from Sally Tibbot. The Vice-Chancellor and eminent Professors have been bombarded by embarrassing telephone calls, messages and letters from local and international organisations because of the embarrassing audit report. We may go to court to seek redress,” Adebooye said.

The dispute stems from a staff audit conducted in May and June 2023 by the consulting firm for the Osun State Government.

Bakrin-Ottun had earlier alleged that the state government failed to act on audit findings which reportedly uncovered about 15,000 ghost workers and retirees on its payroll.

However, the Osun State Government, through the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, accused the firm of exaggerating the number of ghost workers in order to increase its commission.

Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State has urged the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate the alleged payroll discrepancies.

APC spokesperson Kola Olabisi said a thorough probe would help determine the level of involvement of all concerned parties.

In a counter-reaction, the Osun State chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Sunday Bisi, accused the opposition of defending a consultant whose figures were allegedly invalidated during the verification process.

He maintained that attention should instead be directed at the payroll reforms currently being implemented by the state government.