Tinubu Orders Clampdown on Civil Servants Still Receiving Salaries After Relocating Abroad

President Bola Tinubu has taken a firm stand against corruption in the Nigerian civil service. He has ordered all government workers who moved abroad but are still fraudulently receiving salaries from the government to refund the money.

Tinubu gave the directive over the weekend during an event celebrating excellent civil servants and addressing problems in the service.

Senator George Akume, representing the President, expressed disappointment upon learning about these ‘ghost workers’. He said these individuals have not officially quit their jobs but continue to receive paychecks abroad.

To tackle this, President Tinubu demanded that these workers pay back the money and also wants their bosses to face consequences for allowing this to happen.

Tinubu said:

“I was particularly struck by the revelations shared by the Head of the Civil Service, regarding employees who had relocated abroad while drawing salaries without formally resigning.

“It is heartening to hear that measures have been taken to address this issue, but we must ensure those responsible are held accountable and restitution is made.

“The culprits must be made to refund the money they have fraudulently collected.

“Their supervisors and department heads must also be punished for aiding and abetting the fraud under their watch.

The President also emphasised his commitment to improving the civil service by promoting better working conditions and supporting growth.

 He believes these steps are necessary to improve the service’s efficiency and effectiveness.

The ceremony also recognised the hard work of some civil servants by giving them awards and prizes, like cars and houses, to motivate all workers to strive for excellence.