ICPC Accuses UCH Ibadan, Others Of Recruitment Scam

The University College Hospital Ibadan has been accused by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) of a recruitment scam.

Speaking on Monday at an event, ICPC Chairman, Bolaji Owasanoye, said the scam which involved illegal recruitment of staff was discovered during an investigation carried out by the commission.

The ICPC boss also revealed that the Ministry of Labour and Employment with several Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) are involved in recruitment scams that inflates the huge wage bill of the institutions.

He stated that some staff of the MDAs illegally employ unsuspecting Nigerians, issue them fake letters of employment, fraudulently enrol them on IPPIS and post them to commence work.

Owasanoye, however, stated that the commission has arrested some of the suspects and arraigned them before a competent court of law in the country.

He said: “A major push factor on the high cost of governance and rising personnel budget is illegal recruitment, illegal and unilateral increase in wages and remuneration by some MDAs, indiscriminate local and international travels, unreasonable demands by some political appointee board members of MDAs without regard for extant circulars on cost management; procurement fraud, budget padding, etc.

“ICPC investigation of some cases of illegal recruitment forwarded to us by the head of the civil service of the federation has so far implicated ministry of labour and the University College Hospital Ibadan and a number of corrupt staff of other MDAs at a lower level. This abuse of power is consummated with the complicity of compromised elements in IPPIS. These cases are currently under investigation.

 “At another level, a syndicate of corrupt individuals within the service corruptly employ unsuspecting Nigerians, issue them fake letters of employment, fraudulently enrol them on IPPIS and post them to equally unsuspecting MDAs to commence work

“ICPC is prosecuting one of the leaders of the syndicate from whose custody we retrieved several fake letters of recommendation purportedly signed by the Chief of Staff to the President, Honourable Ministers, Federal Civil Service Commission and other high ranking Nigerians.”

When contacted on Tuesday by our correspondent, UCH Public Relations Officer, A. Akinrinola, said he cannot comment on the matter due to its sensitivity.

He stated that the Chief Medical Director, Professor Jesse Otegbayo, would address the press on the allegation very soon.