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An audit firm, Salivot Consulting Limited, has raised concerns over alleged payroll irregularities amounting to about N13.7 billion annually in Osun State, under Governor Ademola Adeleke’s leadership.
The firm’s Chief Executive Officer, Ms. Sadat Bakrin-Ottun, made the claims during an appearance on Politics Tonight on Channels Television on Thursday, where she discussed the outcome of a forensic audit said to have been conducted on the state’s payroll system.
According to Bakrin-Ottun, the 12-month audit exercise identified significant discrepancies, including thousands of workers and pensioners who were reportedly unable to complete physical and biometric verification.
She stated that 8,452 workers and 5,831 pensioners were flagged during the process after allegedly failing to present themselves for verification.
She also cited what she described as unusual payroll patterns, alleging that multiple salary payments were traced to single bank accounts and Bank Verification Numbers (BVNs). In one instance, she claimed, a single account was linked to hundreds of monthly salary payments.
Bakrin-Ottun said the audit was commissioned to sanitise the state workforce and improve payroll transparency. She maintained that the process relied on biometric data and other verification tools, adding that the firm submitted its final report in July 2024.
However, the Osun State Government has rejected the claims, disputing both the figures and the conclusions presented by the firm. State officials contend that only 1,316 workers remain unverified and argue that some individuals flagged during the audit are legitimate employees whom the government chose not to remove from the payroll.
The government has also questioned the contractual framework under which the audit was conducted, referencing a “no savings, no pay” arrangement and suggesting that the reported figures may have been overstated.
Bakrin-Ottun dismissed the government’s rebuttal and insisted that the findings were data-driven. She further alleged that efforts to implement aspects of the audit recommendations slowed after the report was submitted.
The firm’s legal counsel, J.T.O. Uwazuruike, indicated that the disagreement has extended beyond contractual issues, particularly following public statements challenging the firm’s credibility.
Salivot Consulting Limited has announced plans to petition relevant anti-corruption agencies, including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, to review the matter.
As the dispute continues, observers have called for transparency and, where necessary, an independent review to clarify the issues surrounding the state’s payroll system.
