iDeemlawfulThe consultant engaged by the Osun State Government for payroll verification, Sa’adat Bakrin-Ottun, has rejected allegations of incompetence made against her by the management of Osun State University.
Bakrin-Ottun, responding to claims by the UNIOSUN Vice Chancellor, Prof. Clement Adebooye, that 250 members of staff were wrongly labelled as ghost workers during the audit conducted by Sally Tibbot between May and June 2023, stated that the audit report recommended the removal of all principal officers of Osun State-owned tertiary institutions over alleged mismanagement.
The Chief Executive Officer of the audit firm, who denied verifying the credentials presented by the VC during the exercise, maintained that Adebooye was not among the category of staff she was contracted to assess.
In the verification report exclusively obtained by The PUNCH from Bakrin-Ottun on Saturday, the committee recommended the dismissal of principal officers across the six state-owned tertiary institutions, citing impunity and financial mismanagement.
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The report partly read, “There are six tertiary institutions in Osun State. These are: Osun State University, College of Education, Ila Orangun, College of Education, Ilesa, The Polytechnic, Iree, College of Technology, Esa Oke, and Osun State College of Health Technology, Ilesa.
“The committee noted that the tertiary institutions stated above are riddled with impunity, non-adherence to due process, financial recklessness and mismanagement of funds.
“It was also noted that there are more temporary/contract staff than the regular staff which portend avenue for fraudulent practices.”
Recommending steps for the government, the committee stated, “All principal officers, including but not limited to provosts, Rectors, Registrars and bursars -(both acting and substantive capacities) in the institutions listed below should be relieved of their duties and made to hand over to the most senior officers in their primary places of assignment.
“1.Osun State University
- Osun State Polytechnic, Iree
- Osun State College of Technology, Esa Oke
- Osun State College of Education, Ilesa
- Osun State College of Education, Ila
- Osun State College of Health Technology, Ilesa.”
Addressing the VC’s allegations further, Bakrin-Ottun claimed, “Some of his staff earn 2 salaries, and as such wanted us to audit them twice each and I said this wasn’t right and refused. They then all stormed out.
“They earn salaries at the university and earn full salaries again at the University Teaching Hospital, 2 salaries from the same purse…?
This is wrong. You can earn full salaries at 1 point and earn only stipend/allowance from another simultaneously. This is where we attracted his (the VCs ) wrath.”
The PUNCH reports that the management of Osun State University, Osogbo, has demanded a formal apology from Sally Tibbot, the firm contracted by the state government for the payroll audit, for listing 250 staff members as ‘ghost workers.’
Speaking with journalists in Osogbo on Saturday regarding the controversy surrounding the verification report and the university’s involvement, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Clement Adebooye, said he was personally verified by the Chief Executive Officer of the audit firm, Sa’adat Bakrin-Ottun, yet was still named a ghost worker in the report released after the exercise.
Adebooye added that aside from him, 249 other university staff were categorised as ‘ghost staff’ in the audit report, noting that the institution would consider legal action against the audit firm to safeguard its reputation unless Sally Tibbot issued a formal apology.