For six solid months in 2015, a dead officer from the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), earned monthly salaries totalling N772, 289.00.
A retired officer during the same period, also collected monthly salaries for four months after retirement, totalling N971,061.76.
These were revealed by the 2015 Audit report, considered and adopted by the Senate which directed that the officers who authorised the payments, should be sanctioned in accordance with FR3110 and disciplined in line with Public Service Rules .
The query issued by the Auditor – General of the Federation against the Bureau on payment of salary to a dead officer reads: “The sum of N128,714.92 being monthly gross earning amounting to N772, 289 was paid to a dead officer of the Bureau six months after his demise.
“The bureau in its response to the query, admitted the unethical practice but promised that the extra salary payment will be deducted by PENCOM and PFA from the benefits of the affected officer.”
On monthly salary payments made to a retired officer by the Bureau, the audit report states: “The Bureau paid N242,765.44 as monthly salary to a retired officer for four months after retirement from the Bureau’s Kaduna office .
“The Bureau paid a total of N971,061.76 to the officer up till December, 2015 , whereas the officer retired on August 25, 2015.
“Like payments made to the dead officer, the Bureau responded that the retirement benefits of the affected officer, will be used to recover the money through PENCOM and PFA.”
The Senate in adopting the report, declared that the officer who authorised the payment contravened FR415 and should be sanctioned in accordance with FR3110 and disciplined in line with Public Service Rules.
Also in the report, CCB was alleged to have paid N995,000.00 in the year under review to its store officers for purchase of items such as fridges , tyres, stationeries etc , which were however not purchased contrary to claims made by the agency.
Consequently , the Senate in its resolutions on the query, ordered that the sum of N995, 000.00 be recovered from the officer who recommended the payment and pay back to the Treasury in accordance with Financial Regulation 3107.
It directed further that evidence of remittance should be submitted to the Auditor – General and the Senate Public Accounts Committee .
