Ibrahim Magu, EFCC Boss

Nigeria’s anti-corruption body, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has uncovered over 37000 ghost workers in the federal civil service, the anti-graft Czar, Mr. Ibrahim Magu, disclosed on Tuesday.

‘‘Currently, EFCC working in close collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Office of the Account-General of the Federation has uncovered Thirty-seven Thousand, Three Hundred and Ninety-five (37,395) ghost workers in the Federal civil service and has cost the Federal Government close to One Billion Naira,’’ Mr. Magu said while speaking on Tuesday, April 19 during  the EFCC Anti-corruption Sensitisation Programme organised for the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing.

“Our investigations have so far revealed that the Federal Government has lost close to One Billion Naira to these ghost workers. The figure will definitely increase as we unravel more ghost workers buried deep in Federal Civil Service payrolls,’’ he added.

He said the EFCC was working in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Office of the Account-General of the Federation to weed out ghost workers.

The EFCC boss warned that violators of the provisions of the Procurement Act risk five to 10 years imprisonment and lamented the widespread procurement fraud in Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDA.

He said civil servants found guilty under the Act might also face dismissal from service.

He urged civil servants to familiarise themselves with the procurement Act, adding that EFCC would  not spare anyone  found to be involved in fraud against the Nigerian people.

‘‘The programme, which we are flagging-off this morning, is specially designed for employees of public and private institutions. It is aimed at bringing the fight against corruption, economic and financial crimes to the doorstep of this Ministry,’’ he said.

The anti-graft Czar,  who expressed the readiness of the Commission to rid MDAs of all forms of fraudulent activities, added that the sudden rise in the number of petitions relating to the violations of the Public Procurement Ac( 2007)  had led to the setting up of a Procurement Fraud Unit within the Commission.