The Osun State Government has dismissed claims by consulting firm Sally Tibbot Limited that the state is covering up findings on ghost workers, describing the allegations as a baseless attempt to pressure the government into accepting a fraudulent staff audit report.
This was stated by the State Commissioner for Information and Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi. According to the government, the unusually high numbers of ghost workers reported by the firm prompted a re-verification exercise, which revealed that many of the employees labeled as “ghost workers” were, in fact, legitimate staff of the state government.
The government noted that it had offered to provide proof of employment for each worker in question, but the company never requested such documentation nor formally acknowledged payment for the roughly 1,316 workers deemed “unseen.”
The state further questioned the motives of the consulting firm, noting that its fees are based on the payroll savings it generates. The government argued that the company’s inflated figures, exclusion of staff during verification, and mistreatment of workers suggested a focus on personal gain rather than accurate auditing.
While the government remains committed to cleaning up the payroll, it emphasized that it cannot remove legitimate employees or approve an audit report that could further defraud the state. As part of due diligence, a verification committee was set up to review the audit findings before any implementation.
Sally Tibbot Consulting had initially reported 8,448 “unseen” workers and 6,713 “ghost” retirees. However, the firm made no effort to contact the workers to understand their absence. Following a thorough analysis, the Osun State Government confirmed 8,015 of the 8,448 “unseen” workers as active, while 433 could not be reached. Similarly, of the 6,713 retirees, 5,830 were verified as legitimate, while 883 could not be contacted.
In response to a June 25, 2025, demand letter from the firm’s counsel, the state, through its legal team led by Ire Egert-Olusesi of Musibau Adetunbi SAN & Co., replied on July 8, 2025. The government explained that payment should reflect the actual payroll savings from verified ghost workers—approximately 1,316—and not the inflated number claimed by the company.
Despite this, on July 23, 2025, the firm insisted on payment based on 15,161 workers, ignoring that the agreement stipulates remuneration according to actual savings. The government reiterated this point in a letter dated August 5, 2025, highlighting the relevant contractual clause.
The re-verification committee concluded that the true payroll savings amounted to ₦27,077,847.60, far lower than the ₦1,318,317,664.03 claimed by the consulting firm. Based on the committee’s recommendations:
– Salaries, pensions, and other benefits for the “unseen” staff (both active and retired) will be permanently stopped from July 2025.
– The consultant will be paid ₦48,740,125.68, representing 159% of the annual savings identified, in accordance with the agreement between the firm and the state government.
The Osun State Government maintains that its actions are guided by transparency, due process, and the need to protect legitimate workers while ensuring efficiency in the state’s payroll system.
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