Anambra State Uncovers 59 Deceased, 40 Retired Staff Still on Payroll Amid Certificate Scam

Anambra State Government has uncovered significant discrepancies within its local government payroll, including 59 deceased individuals and 40 retired or relocated staff who are still receiving salaries.

This revelation was disclosed by Vincent Ezeaka, Chairman of the Anambra State Local Government Service Commission (LGSC), during a media briefing in Akwa, the state capital, on Friday.

Ezeaka revealed that an ongoing staff personnel audit exposed 44 individuals employed with fake credentials such as OND, HND, BSc, NECO, or First School Leaving Certificate. Additionally, 427 individuals who were not legitimate staff were found registered on the local government payroll.

To address these irregularities, the commission enlisted a retired permanent secretary to lead the verification process. Ezeaka emphasized that several Deputy Directors and local government Treasurers had already been dismissed for presenting fraudulent certificates.

He explained the measures taken by the commission to rectify the situation, stating, “Before commencing the verification exercise, we urged local government workers with certificate discrepancies to voluntarily resign. We offered them amnesty but warned of dismissal if identified through our investigations.”

The chairman noted the cooperation of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) in identifying compromised staff, although some attempted voluntary retirement upon discovery, which was declined by the commission.

Ezeaka underscored the seriousness of the situation, particularly regarding certificate forgery syndicates operating within the local government system. He confirmed that investigations into suspect certificates had led to the identification of numerous individuals using falsified credentials, some purportedly from reputable institutions like Imo State University.

“Our mandate is to sanitize the system,” Ezeaka affirmed, echoing Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s directive. “Genuine workers deserve recognition for their contributions, not those who exploit the system.”

He assured that the ongoing verification processes were aimed at transparency and accountability rather than witch-hunting, emphasizing the commission’s commitment to upholding civil service rules and restoring integrity to Anambra’s workforce.