Newborn on Nigeria payroll, earning $150 a month

Last Updated: Friday, November 11, 2011, 23:45

Tags: Nigeria, Newborn, ghost workers, earning

Newborn on Nigeria payroll, earning $150 a month

Lagos: An official says a newborn baby in Nigeria got added to a government payroll, and has been earning about $150 for the last three years.

Zamfara State Attorney General Garba Gajam told a news agency on Friday that the baby was one of many so-called "ghost workers" found to be getting salaries without performing a job.

The employee is listed as being 1-month-old, though Gajam said the child's father actually started collecting the salary before the baby was born.

He said the state is trying to reverse a trend that has government workers giving fictitious jobs to family members to increase their earnings.

Corruption in oil-rich Nigeria trickles down from politicians to the lowest police officer shaking down bribes at traffic checkpoints.

Bureau Report

First Published: Friday, November 11, 2011, 23:34

Comments

onyeule kenneth Emeka. - umuokiri vil.osisioma ngwa l.g.a.abia state,nigeri
if ig can stop police in checkin point,even in de rural areas i dat coruption wil stop witout dem all dis irrecluties.if at all dat de ig wnts 2 retain dem in de checkin point let dem put it as a composary dat dey wil sackany polics officer who collects 20 niara 4rm commercial drivas.dat is my own adivics