Where’s the Money

Where’s the Money : Rejoinder FG (Nigeria Federal Govt.) Removes 43,000 Ghost Workers from Payroll http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/fg-removes-43-000-ghost-workers-from-payroll/94835/    

                                           Dr. Olusegun Aganga, Former Finance Minister

This is a startling story. While no public or private agency is immune to fraud and fiscal mismanagement, 43,000 ghost workers seems extreme and frankly frightening. This article has left me with more questions than answers. The obvious question would be how could this happen? Who is responsible? How much money is missing? Will the money be recovered? While these questions most likely will never be answered, the below questions, however, do need to be answered.

What safeguards will be put into place to ensure that this does not happen again? What accountability will be put into place to ensure the safeguards are followed? Now that the new payroll system is in place, how will this be implemented throughout the nation to minimize and eventually eliminate the payroll fraud that has permeated the Nigerian government payroll system for 50 years plus?

This fraud is disturbing, let’s hold our elected officials accountable to ensure that this NEVER happens again.