UCH moves to fish out ghost workers

By Sade Oguntola - 18.02.2008

THE management of the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, has begun screening of its workers following a discovery that there were ghost workers in the hospital.

According to a source, the screening exercise was embarked upon by hospital following a directive by the Federal Ministry of Health.

The source told the Nigerian Tribune that the population of fake workers in the hospital had become worrisome and this had prevented the management of the hospital from paying the January salary of the workers.

The source said a petition was written to the ministry and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) by some retired workers of the hospital, as a result of which the ICPC visited the hospital some weeks ago.

“The workers of the hospital have been enjoined to participate in the screening exercise so that their salary could be paid.

“They were asked to bring their staff identity card, last pay slip and first letter of appointment,” the source disclosed.

While reacting, the Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee of the hospital, Dr. Adeniyi Adenipekun, said the current step by the hospital to audit its staff was to ensure that there were no ghost workers in the payroll of the hospital any more.

Dr. Adenipekun, speaking with the Nigerian Tribune on the ongoing pay-at-sight exercise in the hospital for the January salary, said the management decided to embark on the staff audit after it discovered an arbitrary increase in the hospital’s wage bill.

According to him, “we embarked on the exercise to be sure of the bonafide members of staff,” adding that the delay in the January salary was due to the fact that the salaries were not paid into the workers’ respective bank accounts.