The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack, has announced that the Federal Government’s investigation into civil servants who continue to receive salaries after relocating abroad is still ongoing.
Walson-Jack dismissed claims that the investigation had been abandoned, stating that efforts remain focused on identifying individuals who left the country for better opportunities but are still benefiting from the system.
According to the Head of the Civil Service, since President Bola Tinubu ordered the probe, some of the affected workers have either rushed to resign or returned to Nigeria to resume their duties.
She made these remarks on Monday during an event in Abuja marking her 100 days in office.
The development comes five months after President Tinubu ordered that all civil servants who are drawing salaries from the government after relocating abroad should be made to refund the money.
Tinubu also directed that the culprits’ supervisors and department heads be punished for aiding and abetting the fraud while they were in charge.
The President gave the directive at an award night organised by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation to commemorate the 2024 Civil Service Week.
On Monday, Walson-Jack insisted that the probe was ongoing.
She said, “You are asking about civil servants who may have japa (relocated abroad). 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 appreciated her staff for the tremendous support she had so far enjoyed and also applauded all the ‘Super Permanent Secretary’ for making her first 100 days in office seamless.
“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,” she stated.
While praising Tinubu for finding her befitting for such an exalted position, the former Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Education also assured that her office was working hard with the Federal Civil Service Commission to curb the growing menace of job racketeering in the system.
“I know that it is the Federal Civil Service Commission that has the responsibility to recruit. But, of course, we are right there to support that responsibility. So, in terms of job racketeering, whatever we can do will be done to stop it because where you find someone obtained a job through fraudulent means and, of course, the person is already in the service, the civil service will have to work with the commission to ensure that the person is sanctioned,” she noted.
