President Bola Tinubu has demanded severe penalties for Nigerian civil servants who relocate abroad while continuing to draw salaries from Nigeria, as well as those complicit in facilitating such fraudulent activities.
Speaking at the grand finale of the 2024 Civil Service Week Award and Gala Night on Saturday, June 22, President Tinubu expressed concern over revelations shared by the head of the civil service regarding employees who had unlawfully received salaries after moving abroad without formal resignation.
“We must ensure those responsible are held accountable and restitution is made. The culprits must refund the money they fraudulently collected, and their supervisors and department heads must also face consequences for their complicity,” President Tinubu asserted.
Emphasizing the importance of a robust and disciplined civil service, President Tinubu underscored that such misconduct undermines the integrity and effectiveness of Nigeria’s governmental institutions. He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to upholding meritocracy and fostering a culture of excellence within the civil service.
The Head of Civil Service, Folashade Yemi-Esan, commended President Tinubu for his support in improving civil service welfare, including recent measures such as wage increases and housing initiatives. She emphasized the need for the Civil Service to attract the best and brightest talent to drive national plans and solve socio-economic problems.
The federal government has made interventions to improve the welfare of civil servants, including a provisional wage award of N35,000 for all treasury-paid Federal Government workers for six months and ongoing efforts to review the minimum wage.
The Office of the Head of Service has collaborated with stakeholders and partners in the public and private sectors to enhance the value proposition for civil servants.
President Tinubu’s call for punishment comes amidst ongoing efforts to reform the civil service and uphold meritocracy and excellence in Nigeria’s governmental institutions.
