The State Auditor -General, Comrade John Odey has described the inauguration of the Complaints and Anti- Corruption Commission as a welcome development in the fight against financial impropriety in the State.

Speaking shortly after the inauguration of the Commission by Governor Ben Ayade in Calabar, Comrade Odey who is a member of the Commission, noted that not only will the Commission check leakages as mandated by the Governor,but will also strive to put a check on other financial misdemeanor In connection to the State finances.

He maintained that financial impropriety if not checked can cause losses that would have been ploughed back to the Socio economic development of the State and commended the Governor, Senator Ben Ayade for the decisive move in setting up the Commission.

Other members of the Commission include Justice Eyo Effiom Ita (rtd)-Chairman, Auditor -General for Local Government,Franca Inok, representative of the Department of State Services (DSS)- Mr. Faluyi Oluwale, representative of the Nigerian Police Force,CSP Emmanuel Adam,Barr Akinde Emmanuel and Mr.Iferi Eni Okoi.

The Cross River State Head of Service Mrs. Geraldine Enyang Akpet-Ekanem has admonished Auditors in the State Government to join hands with the State Government to ensure that Ghost Workers are fished out from the State Payroll.

She gave this admonition while meeting with Auditors in the State Civil Service recently in Calabar.

Mrs. Ekanem who maintained that Ghost Workers have become a financial burden to the State Government, said the Governor Senator Ben Ayade has frowned at the situation where the wage bill of the State keeps increasing astronomically.

The Head of Service added that as part of measures to ensure that the actual number of Civil Servants is ascertained, the Office of the Head of Service will undertake a Personnel Staff Audit exercise to further ‘fish out Ghost workers as well as those receiving double salaries’ as well as partner banks handling salaries’ payment to further assist in ‘sorting out issues with the payroll’.

Earlier in his remarks, the Cross River State Auditor-General, Comrade John Odey (FCNA), expressed appreciation to the Head of Service for the visit which he said reflects her interest in repositioning the State.

He described the meeting as a first in the history of the State and called for a monthly submission of Staff Nominal Role duly signed by the Directors/Heads of Administration to the Office of the Auditor –General by way of checking Ghost workers.

Comrade Odey charged auditors going forward to show interest in the nominal role of their respective MDAs as this will go a long way to curb the issues of Ghost workers in the State.

In separate responses, some auditors stressed the need for them to be part of the Personnel Audit team in subsequent exercises maintaining that they have the wherewithal to identify discrepancies.

The Cross River State Auditor-General Comrade John M. Odey (FCNA) has called for financial propriety by Government Organisations warning that Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) who do not properly retire what they receive as overhead and capital funds would have their salaries withheld until there are retired properly and promptly.

Comrade Odey who stated this while speaking on the need to maintain a transparent accounting system said it has become crucial given the nonchalant attitude of some MDAs to Government Finances.

While commending some MDAs who have performed creditably well, Comrade Odey described the inability of some MDAs to balance their records as “totally unacceptable and admonished the relevant officials of such MDAs to “ensure that their books are kept in accordance with laid down procedures taking into consideration the accounting concept and principles” adding that erring MDAs will henceforth be appropriately sanctioned.

The Cross River State Auditor-General explained that the $20.4Million SIFTAS Grant recently awarded to the State was on the grounds that “we spent our monies prudently, were transparent in our dealings and had full accountability for all our financial transactions” maintaining that the need for financial propriety cannot be overemphasized especially at this time where resources are scarce.

Comrade Odey assured of his continued commitment to work closely with the State Ministry of Finance, Internal Revenue Service, Office of the Accountant-General and other critical Stakeholders in the revenue and finance sectors to ensure that Cross River State is not short-changed and “all that is due the State is paid and received appropriately”

The State Auditor General Comrade John Odey has charge auditors in all ministries, department and agencies to be independent to enable them ensure zero tolerance to fraud in the pay roll.

Comrade Odey gave the charge during a familiarization meeting with all auditors across the state in Calabar recently. The Auditor General maintained that as auditors, its their code of responsibility to checkmate and ensure transparency within the payroll system in order to give government a smooth running in administration.

He stressed that his tenure will not tolerant any form of fraud that will stain the image of Governor Ayade’s administration towards ensuring that the livelihood of every crossriverians is better.

According to the AG, if auditors do not wake up to their responsibilities it might affect the government adding that no one should be intimidated by any executive body as far as they are doing their legitimate jobs within the confine of the law.

He further assured crossriverians that in an interval of two months the of fraud and ghost workers within the payroll system will be a thing of the past.

In separate remarks some directors at the state Auditor General office emphasized the need for all hands to be on deck, warning it is not going to be business as usual. They commended the AG for his zeal in ensuring that things are done in right.

The Cross State Government through the office of the Auditor General in partnership with VERITEX is set to introduce a digital verification application for pensioners. The ‘I am alive” application provides a fast, smart and easy process for verification through the individual’s (pensioner) fingerprint.

This digital verification software removes the inconveniences of travelling long distances to venues of analog verifications by old, frail and sick pensioners who must appear in person for verification. In the past, they have been recorded cases of accidents and deaths during the verification exercise. With the “I am alive” App, the Pensioner only needs to walk into his bank and get verified.

The software also curbs cases of fraud in the verification process by the biometric capturing of finger-prints which indicates the individual is still alive. There have been cases of family relatives impersonating dead pensioners during the analog verification exercise.

Speaking during the presentation, the Cross River State Auditor General, Mr. John M. Odey, noted that “with this pact, the pensioner can walk into his/her bank and do the biometric verification which will affirm that he/she is alive. This exercise is scheduled to be done every three months to ascertain that the pensioner is not dead. Currently, pension verification is a yearly exercise, if a pensioner dies a day after the verification exercise, it takes another one year for government to identify and stop payments.”

“The three months duration for verification of pensioners enables early identification of these leakages arising from payments to dead pensioners. This is the rationale behind the three months duration for verification of pensioners“

“Money that would have been drained out from these leakages can go into effective usage in the development of the State, that is why it is important that everyone embraces the “I am alive” verification software,” he said.

In attendance, were the Head of Service and Accountant General

In a bid to ensure enhanced productivity with maximum efficiency in the state civil service, the Cross River State Governor, Senator Ben Ayade yesterday presented generating sets to the zonal audit offices across the State.

Presenting the office items unbehalf of the governor, the State Auditor General, Mr. John M. Odey stated that “In order to ensure administrative effectiveness of audit in our field offices, His Excellency, the governor of Cross River State has graciously enabled us to present these generating sets to all our field offices. This will go a long way in ensuring the maximum discharge of staff functions as well as improve productivity.”

Odey noted that unavailability of power hampers the overall productivity of the staff. “Today, the governor is presenting these items to your respective offices to ensure comfort, efficiency and productivity in the discharge of your duties.”

The items were presented to the Yakurr, Ikom and Obudu zonal offices.

Responding while receiving the items, leaders of the zonal offices expressed gratitude to Governor Ben Ayade for providing adequate facilities for staff welfare at work, ensuring comfort and improvement in productivity as well as prompt payments of salary and other sundry benefits.

Speaking after the presentation, the leader of Ugep zone, Mr. Obassesam Ekemini noted “Our new Auditor General on a familiarization tour promised he was going to make the job easy on us. Barely a week or two, we were called to come over to receive generating sets for our offices.”

“This will go a long way in improving productivity, most of the time, we type our reports in public business centres and the AG instructed that we should apply some level of confidentiality owing to the fact our reports are classified documents.”

In his words, Mr. Robert Abeshi, the zonal leader of Ikom, said “Today, the office has received generating sets which is going to assist in enhancing our productivity. We have computer sets and printers which has not been used for a very long time. The fear of leaking out information by usage of public business centres is now eliminated.”

Mr. Jerome Ugbe, zonal leader of the office of auditor general, Obudu. Noted that “Obudu zone covers three Local government namely Obanliku, Bekwarra and Obudu. This gesture is significant as it will enhance our productivity while out there in the rural area. The challenge has always been how to get our reports type as at when due, due to the fact that we don’t have power. What the Auditor General has done is commendable, our prayer is God continues to give him more wisdom to carry this office to greater heights” he said.