Abia govt set to sack more over salary fraud

Abia Govt Extends Salary Padding Probe to Committee Members After Dismissing Six Civil Servants

The Abia State Government has announced that members of the state’s salary committee suspected of complicity in salary padding will face a fresh probe to determine their level of involvement in the fraud scandal.

This development follows the dismissal of six workers from the Ministry of Justice after a detailed investigation linked them to the padding of government payrolls.

Those dismissed are:

• Mr. Dickson Uche Eze, Principal Accountant
• Mrs. Esther Emeruwa, Senior Accountant
• Mrs. Ijeoma Jonathan, Chief Executive Officer
• Mrs. Treasure Isinguzo, Assistant Chief Executive Officer
• Mrs. Chioma Victoria Erondu, Principal Executive Officer
• Mrs. Hannah Ezinne Eze, Senior Executive Officer

Their termination was confirmed in a statement signed by Eno Jerry Eze, Chairman of the Abia State Civil Service Commission.

However, the government noted that further concerns had emerged about possible collusion within the salary committee itself.

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“Additionally, the investigation raised serious concerns about the possible complicity of some members of the Salary Committee in the fraudulent scheme. The Governor has directed that the activities of the Committee be subjected to a separate probe to ensure full accountability,” the statement read.

A senior civil servant, who spoke on condition of anonymity, cautioned that while some individuals within the workforce may be guilty, the probe should be carried out thoroughly to avoid punishing innocent workers.

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Earlier this year, Abia State Head of Service, Benson Ojeikere, warned civil servants against corrupt practices, stressing that anyone caught would face severe consequences.

The fresh investigation is expected to widen scrutiny within the state civil service, as Governor Alex Otti’s administration continues efforts to sanitize the payroll system.