Japa: We’re still probing workers receiving salaries from abroad –FG

The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF), Mrs Didi Walson-Jack, has said the probe instituted by the Federal Government to identify civil servants receiving salaries after relocating abroad is still ongoing.

She said this on Monday in Abuja at a briefing to celebrate her 100 days in office and stock-taking of her stewardship in the civil service.

She said that the process had not been swept under the carpet and that government had sustained the momentum to ensure workers who left the country in search of greener pastures abroad are no longer drawing salaries from the system.

Daily Trust reports that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in June 2024, directed that all civil servants drawing salaries from the government after relocating abroad should be sanctioned and made to refund the money.

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The President also directed that the supervisors and department heads of the culprits must be punished for aiding and abetting the fraud under their watch.

The directive came after the immediate past HCSF, Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan, said efforts were being to track Nigerians who had relocated abroad, but were still under the payroll of the civil service.

“The Federal Government is going hard on them, as many of them are voluntarily resigning after the physical verifications. Civil servants who are outside the country without official permission and still on the payroll will be sacked after the verification is completed,” Yemi-Esan had said.

Walson-Jack insisted that the process was ongoing, adding the government was investigating the scandal using workers’ Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS).

“You are asking about civil servants who may have japa. We know that the issue came up, and there were even some verifications done. Since then, some of them quickly came back while some honourably retired.

“So right now, just to sustain the momentum, we are still scrutinising using the IPPIS payroll to know who is here and who is out. And I think that will be a continuous process to ensure that people are not eating their cake and having them by going outside the country and still receiving their salaries.

“So I dare say some progress has been made in this regard and we will keep on watching out to ensure that it is completely dealt with,” Walson-Jack said.

She commended her staff for the tremendous support she had enjoyed so far and applauded all the “Super Permanent Secretaries” for making her first 100 days in office a seamless exercise.

She said, “The first 100 days in office is a significant milestone. It offers an opportunity to reflect on the achievements recorded, perform a thorough audit of progress, and identify the goals ahead.”

While commending President Tinubu for finding her befitting to serve in her present capacity, Walson-Jack noted that her office was working with the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC) to curb the growing menace of job racketeering in the system.

While listing her achievements since she assumed office, she mentioned ongoing initiatives to enhance service delivery, including development of a comprehensive on-boarding package for new employees, which will include induction programmes, welcome packs, and guided tours, designed to create a positive first impression and instill a sense of belonging in every new civil servant.