UNIOSUN VC Rejects Staff Audit Report, Denies ‘Ghost Worker’ Allegations

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24/02/26 • 61 Görünümler • 0 Pay • Yayınlanan Diğer

The Vice-Chancellor of Osun State University (UNIOSUN), Professor Odunayo Clement Adebooye, has firmly rejected the 2023 Osun State staff audit report which classified 250 members of the university’s workforce as ghost workers, describing the document as professionally flawed and damaging to the institution’s reputation.

Addressing a press conference on Saturday, February 21, 2026, at his office on the university’s Main Campus in Osogbo, Adebooye said the briefing was convened in the spirit of transparency and accountability to clarify lingering concerns surrounding the statewide personnel verification exercise conducted in May and June 2023.

The verification exercise was carried out by Sally Tibbot Consulting on behalf of the Osun State Government. According to the Vice-Chancellor, the resulting report controversially listed 250 legitimate staff members — including himself — as ghost workers, despite their physical presence and full participation in the screening process.

He described the classification as psychologically unsettling and professionally unacceptable, stressing that the matter goes beyond political considerations and raises significant regulatory, ethical and professional issues.

Adebooye alleged that the exercise was plagued by operational lapses, noting that 1,017 UNIOSUN staff members were scheduled for verification in a single day at the State Secretariat, alongside employees from other government agencies. The arrangement, he said, resulted in overcrowding and prolonged waiting under harsh weather conditions. He further accused the consulting firm of unprofessional conduct in its engagement with university staff.

The Vice-Chancellor disclosed that following complaints, the consultant was invited by the Osun State House of Assembly in August 2023, where the exercise was reportedly suspended after lawmakers expressed dissatisfaction with the explanations provided.

He also faulted what he described as the consultant’s limited understanding of university administrative processes, particularly regarding sabbatical leave, study leave, research leave and visiting appointments. According to him, the failure to properly account for staff on approved leave contributed significantly to the erroneous classification of legitimate employees as ghost workers.

Providing context on the institution’s workforce, Adebooye stated that UNIOSUN currently employs 1,463 staff members across its six campuses. The figure includes 628 academic staff, 466 non-teaching staff, 235 support staff and 134 members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). He explained that the university operates a monthly internal verification mechanism known as the “Salary Checker” system to ensure that only duly certified staff receive remuneration.

He further alleged that the consultant failed to issue a management letter for institutional response before finalising the audit report — a step he described as fundamental to standard auditing practice. The omission, he argued, rendered the process subjective and inconsistent with globally accepted auditing standards.

Demanding a formal apology from Sally Tibbot Consulting, the Vice-Chancellor said the report had subjected the university and its principal officers to reputational embarrassment both locally and internationally. He added that the institution and affected individuals reserve the right to seek legal redress under Nigerian law.

Reaffirming UNIOSUN’s position, Adebooye maintained that the university remains open to any lawful and professionally conducted independent review, expressing confidence that such an assessment would validate the integrity of its payroll system and personnel records.

He concluded by reiterating the university’s commitment to truth, professionalism and accountability, urging stakeholders to approach the issue with objectivity and adherence to established standards.

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