The Governor of Osun State, Ademola Adeleke, has formally invited the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate and authenticate allegations of a padded payroll and the existence of ghost workers in the state’s public service.
In a letter dated February 2026, signed by the Governor and addressed to the ICPC Chairman through the commission’s state office in Osogbo, governor Adeleke forwarded reports of a staff audit conducted by Sally Tibbot and a subsequent review committee for forensic examination.
According to the letter, upon his resumption of office, his administration met reports of ghost workers and a padded payroll allegedly inherited from the administration of former Governor Gboyega Oyetola. The government subsequently engaged Sally Tibbot to audit the inherited payroll covering the period from 2018 to November 2022.
The audit firm submitted its report on June 27, 2024. Following the submission, the governor directed full implementation of the recommendations in line with efforts to eliminate alleged ghost workers from the payroll.
However, controversies later emerged, including claims that some high-ranking officials were listed as ghost workers. In response, the governor constituted a review committee comprising officials of the audit firm and labour union leaders in the state.
In the correspondence, the governor requested that the ICPC deploy forensic auditors to examine both the original audit report and the review committee’s findings to determine the correctness or otherwise of the review in relation to the audit firm’s report.
He stated that both reports were attached to the letter for the commission’s consideration and expressed appreciation for the anticipated response of the agency.
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