HammedShittu
7 July 2009
Ilorin — The last has not been heard of the fraud at the Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) in the payment of teachers' salaries, as ministry of education has made fresh discoveries, which amounted to N49 million as a result of the recent introduction of e-payment system in the state.
The state government had suspended some staff in the Computer and Accounts Units of the board last month, while some workers in the 16 Local Government Education Authorities (LGEA) were sent on compulsory leave to pave way for a thorough investigation into their alleged connivance in the fraud.
It would be recalled that, the sum of N32million was first discovered during the recent payment of teachers' salaries in the state.
To forestall any future occurrence, Governor Bukola Saraki had mandated the ministry of Education, Science and Technology to begin an immediate screening of all primary and secondary school teachers to know those that were legitimate.
Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Alhaji Bolaji Abdullahi, while briefing newsmen on the progress made on the ongoing exercise, said the ministry discovered that over 600 ghost workers, who were mainly retirees have been drawing pensions and salaries as workers in primary and secondary schools in the state.
According to him, "officials of SUBEB and some workers of the LGEA were involved in the act of illegal recruitment, posting of many teachers and doubling their salaries every month, this led to the first discovery of N32million when the e-payment system commenced in the state."
He said another N17 million was discovered which led to the sum of N49million that had been deducted illegally every month from the payment of school teachers in the state, adding that the fraud came about due to long systematic weakness in the service, as a result of which most of the officials began misappropriating government funds.
Abdullahi said the state government would set up a commission of enquiry into the matter soon and that any official of SUBEB and the LGEA found culpable would face the wrath of the law.
He expressed the state government's commitment to the war against corruption and that it would do its best to ensure that qualitative education was brought to the doorsteps of the populace.
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