"Operation Get the 45,ooo" - ICPC set to fish out Ghost Workers in Ministries

Alarmed by the revelation that no fewer than 45,000 ghost workers are being paid with public funds, Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, ICPC, has deployed its crack detectives to comb ministries, department and agencies, MDAs, to fish out those who are perpetrating the massive fraud.

The commission believes the outcome of its investigation will enable it to pick out MDAs to return illegal funds to the government coffers. Chairman of the ICPC, Mr. Ekpo Nta, gave the indication in an exclusive interview with Vanguard yesterday.

The finding would also aid the anti-graft agency in fishing out those aiding and abetting the crime against the general interest and economic progress of Nigeria.

The chairman said the investigation was to establish the different agencies where the ghost workers were used in ripping off the nation and bring the culprits to book to serve as a deterrent to others.

Minister of State for Finance, Yerima Ngama, who revealed the existence of ghost workers in the Federal Government’s payroll, pointed out that no fewer than 251 MDAs were involved in the scam, which had cost the nation over N100 billion - Vanguard