Oyo begins staff audit, payroll validation

AIMED at having a clear picture of its payroll, the Oyo State Government will from today commence a staff audit and payroll validation exercise.

Civil servants, public officials, teachers, local government employees and retirees are to be screened in phases in the exercise taking place at state Secretariat, Ibadan.

Speaking after been screened by the consultant in charge, Sally Tibbot Consultant, at governor’s office, Ibadan, on Tuesday, state governor, Mr Seyi Makinde said the exercise aimed at ascertaining all persons drawing money from government’s coffers.

He pointed out that the exercise was not basically about verification of certificates but for government to curb wastages, plug leakages in its payroll and have valid data for planning purposes.

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While the screening lasts, Makinde assured that workers’ salary will not be affected.

“This screening is not about certificates; this exercise is simply to determine the number of staff and the amount we are paying. The exercise is for all workers in the state: civil servants, public servants, higher institutions’ workers, pensioners, political office holders, anybody drawing their salary from the state government.

“The implementation of the findings is at the end of the exercise. The data will be utilised for planning purposes. Yes, we have to negotiate the minimum wage; we have to know the impacts, effects and plan on how to implement the decision.

“People do not have to worry. The people that need to worry are those that are unjustly benefitting from our patrimony,” Makinde said.

Earlier, Head of Service, Mrs Ololade Agboola assured labour leaders that no civil servant, public servant or pensioner will be treated unfairly by the exercise.

She emphasised that the exercise targeted improving the welfare of workers and adding value to the state’s civil and public service.

“This is an exercise where the government intends to have a clear picture of what the payroll in Oyo State is and probably block leakages detected,” Agboola said.

Present at the flag-off, Secretary, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mr Ibrahim Ahmed urged the consultant to expunge Bank Verification Number (BVN) in the screening requirements and rather used workers’ salary account.

Noting that the exercise was usually used to witch hunt, he urged the state government to ensure that labour leaders are actively involved in the exercise so as to sustain industrial harmony.

With particular reference to teachers, Ahmed also expressed fear that the exercise would affect school work with teachers having to leave classes to be screened at state Secretariat, Ibadan.

On his own part, representative of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Mr Olayiwola Yinusa urged the state government to disclose the fate of those cleared in the last screening exercise conducted by the government.

He also urged the Makinde led government to ensure that the exercise does not affect the commencement of implementation of the new salary structure.

Furthermore, Yinusa expressed fear at the challenge that workers may face in getting bank statements, as part of the screening requirements.

Meanwhile, Makinde, also on Tuesday, handed over 100 patrol vehicles to various security agencies in the state.

Handing over the vehicles, Makinde charged security agencies to chase down criminals across nooks and crannies of the state.

In his remarks, Special Adviser on Security to Makinde, Mr Fatai Owoseni avowed that the vehicles possessed communication gadgets that could go as far as Saki area and border areas of the state.

He added the vehicles, deployed to identified key areas in the state, would help bridge gap in the infrastructure of security agencies.