By D. Maan, Jadetimes News
Nigerian Civil Servants Still Receiving Salaries After Leaving Their Jobs
If you leave your job, it would seem logical that your salary would stop being paid. However, this is not the case for a number of former Nigerian civil servants. Some have managed to be employed elsewhere sometimes in another country entirely yet continue to receive wages from their former workplaces.
This issue has reached the highest levels of government, prompting President Bola Tinubu to order a crackdown last week. “The culprits must be made to refund the money they have fraudulently collected,” he declared.
Sabitu Adams, whose name has been changed to protect his identity, is an example of this phenomenon. Despite leaving Nigeria two years ago and now working as a taxi driver in the UK, he has not resigned from his position as a junior official at a government agency and still receives his monthly salary. Adams expressed little concern about losing this income, viewing President Tinubu’s comments as an empty threat.
Adams mentioned that the loss of his 150,000 naira ($100; £80) monthly Nigerian salary would not be a significant hardship, as he earns much more driving a taxi. “When I heard about the president's directive, I smiled because I know I am doing better here and not worried,” the 36 year old said.
When asked why he did not inform the civil service that he had left, Adams admitted, “To be honest, I didn’t resign because I wanted to leave that door open in case I choose to go back to my job after a few years.”
Young Nigerians Abroad Still Receiving Salaries from Former Civil Service Jobs
Like Mr. Adams, over 3.6 million Nigerians have relocated to other countries in the past two years, according to official statistics. Many young Nigerians see limited prospects for earning a good living in their home country, a sentiment worsened by the naira's collapse over the past year following reforms introduced by President Bola Tinubu.
This trend of young people seeking better opportunities abroad has become so common that the term “japa,” meaning to escape or flee in Yoruba, has been coined to describe it.
President Tinubu expressed concern about revelations from the head of the civil service regarding employees who had relocated abroad while still drawing salaries without formally resigning. He insisted that not only should the money be repaid, but also those complicit in allowing it should be investigated. “Their supervisors and department heads must also be punished for aiding and abetting the fraud under their watch,” he said.
This may be the case for Mr. Adams. The UK based taxi driver admitted he continued to be paid thanks to an understanding with his department. “I had a good understanding with my boss and he just let me leave," he explained.
Often in such cases, the salary is divided between the supervisor who keeps quiet and the person being paid, possibly along with an HR representative. However, for Mr. Adams, it was even simpler. "In my case, it wasn’t like that as my boss was a relative," he revealed.
The Issue of "Ghost Working" and Efforts to Combat It in Nigeria
"Ghost working" remains a significant problem in Nigeria, where despite several crackdowns, thousands of non existent workers are still believed to be on the payroll. This issue persists due to a lack of stringent checks and balances.
However, it is now being suggested for the first time that people who have moved abroad continue to be paid their salaries on a large scale. Auwal Yakasai, who retired as a finance director at Kano state's information ministry in 2021, acknowledged hearing about such cases. “To be honest, I have never caught anyone red handed,” said Mr. Yakasai, who served the government for 32 years. “But I have heard numerous stories of such arrangements, where someone would still be receiving a salary after relocating or changing their place of work.”
Since taking office in May last year, President Bola Tinubu has pledged to reduce the cost of governance and eliminate wastage. In January, he directed that official entourages to state and international events for himself and other government officials be reduced by 60%. Despite these promises, some critics argue that there has been more talk than action in Mr. Tinubu’s administration.
Critics point to plans to buy new planes worth millions of dollars for Mr. Tinubu and his deputy, Kashim Shettima, as an example. Another contentious issue was the recent launch of a new official residence for Vice President Shettima in the capital, Abuja, which cost $13.6 million (£11 million).
Despite President Tinubu's statements about addressing foreign ghost workers, he has not detailed specific actions to crack down on them or hold those responsible accountable.