President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has declared that civil servants who moved abroad while still drawing salaries without officially resigning must reimburse the wages they received during that time.
The Next Edition reports that Tinubu made this statement at the 2024 Civil Service Award and Gala Night, which marked the conclusion of the week-long 2024 Civil Service Week, held at the Abuja Continental Hotel.
During a media briefing to commemorate the 2024 Civil Service Week, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Folasade Yemi-Esan, revealed that some employees had relocated abroad while continuing to draw salaries without officially resigning.
She noted that measures have been put in place to address this issue.
Speaking on Saturday, President Tinubu called for accountability and restitution, stating that civil servants who fraudulently collected salaries must repay the money and that their supervisors should be punished for enabling the fraud.
He emphasized that the Civil Service is crucial for government operations and cannot tolerate misconduct.
Tinubu highlighted the Civil Service’s role as the foundation and engine of government, essential for delivering public services.
The President emphasized the need for accountability and restitution: “We must ensure those responsible are held accountable and restitution is made.
“The individuals involved must repay the money they fraudulently collected. Additionally, their supervisors and department heads must be punished for allowing and facilitating this fraud under their supervision.
“The civil service of any nation is too important for such misconduct to take root or be tolerated.
“The Civil Service is the foundation, the engine, the driving force of government, essential for delivering public services to citizens. As politicians, we are merely the drivers of the locomotives that you provide.”
He stressed that the Civil Service cannot become a place where ‘anything goes’ and where employees break rules without fear of consequences.
