Osun State University is demanding an apology and threatening legal action against an auditing firm that labeled 250 workers as 'ghost workers' in a controversial report.
The management of Osun State University in Nigeria has raised serious concerns regarding a payroll audit conducted by Sally Tibbot Ltd, which identified 250 individuals as 'ghost workers.' According to Vice Chancellor Clement Adebooye, this classification has been labeled as an attempt to tarnish the university's reputation. Adebooye expressed his outrage over being personally included in the ghost worker list despite verifying his employment during the audit, underscoring the report's alleged inaccuracies.
The vice chancellor articulated that the audit's findings, claiming that a quarter of the staff are not genuine employees, were not only misleading but also indicative of a lack of professionalism from the auditing firm. He described the report as subjective and suggested that it was designed to damage the university's image. He insists that both he and the other affected workers have legitimate employment claims, challenging the validity of the assertions made in the audit report.
As a response to what they consider a significant error, the university's administration is demanding a formal apology from Sally Tibbot Ltd. Furthermore, they have indicated readiness to pursue legal action if the firm does not address the issue. This situation highlights the potential conflict between academic institutions and external auditors, raising questions about the transparency and accuracy of payroll audits in the higher education sector in Nigeria.
