The Special Committee on Judiciary Staff Verification Exercise has discovered serious rots in Kogi State Judiciary, as names of dead staff and retirees are still appearing on the monthly payroll of both judiciary and Judicial Service Commission respectively.
The Chairman of the Committee, Barrister Ibrahim Alhassan who disclosed this while submitting the report and recommendations to the Acting Chief Judge of Kogi State, Justice Henry Olusiyi at the premises of High Court of Justice in Lokoja blamed the administrative department for improper documentations of staff records as many frauds was revealed.
He noted that some of the records from the Administrative Department are incongruent and made the exercise more tedious than expected.
He lamented that some top officials of Judiciary and Judicial Service Commission, (JSC) who had since assumed offices and have taken oath of office do not have clear records of the employment in the Administrative department.
While the fate of numerous staff who got employment through the back doors hang imbalance by the time the recommendation are carried out as a deterrence to others.
Alhassan noted that the reports came in two volumes, stressing that aside that the exercise took place at the headquarters, the committee also visited 39 directorates to carry out the verification exercise.
According to him, lapses were discovered in the Personnel Department on improper documentation of Staff information as well as job description within the terms of reference which contributed to a lot of administrative lapses in the system.
While highlighting the outcome of the report, the chairman disclosed the discovery of some retired and deceased staff whose names were still on the payroll.
The Chief Judge of Kogi State, Justice Henry Olusuyi while receiving the report expressed gratitude to the members of the special verification committee for the thorough job.
He assured Committee that the report and recommendations would be thoroughly perused and carried out to the later, adding that it is very important to up the nominal roll and know the exact monthly wage bill.
“It is very essential to know those who are working with you. You must know those who are receiving salaries. Judiciary is an arm of government must be a role model organisation which must set pace. There must be adherence to all rules.
“This is appalling that people who do not come to work are receiving alert every month. Without fear or favour we will purse these revelations to a logical conclusion and bring the perpetrators to book,” the Acting CJ said
