- Stay Connected
Socialize
15,000 ‘Ghost Workers’ On Government Payroll Exposed
Tumfweko has unearthed a ‘scam fraud’ in which thousands of ‘ghost workers’ have been on government payroll for the past five or more years in different Ministries.
Sources within cabinet office revealed that the government has been losing millions of Kwacha by paying workers that had either left employment through dismissal, retirement or death.
“Some workers who left the civil service have remained on the payroll for years enjoying the usual benefits and even the annual salary increases,” the sources said.
In some bizarre cases, the sources said, “Some workers have deliberately manipulated to effect double payments on salaries”.
The sources further disclosed that cabinet office senior officers have fraudulently maintained dead workers on the payroll to pocket the money at the end of every month for years.
“These guys play weird cards, we tend to wonder on how they have managed to build lodges from the money they get but alas its fraud” said the source.
Although the exact figure is not yet known, Tumfweko understands that the money lost could run into Trillions of Kwacha especially for those ‘ghost workers’ that have been on the payroll for longer periods.
The government’s payroll currently stands at around 120, 000 but the sources said atleast 15,000 of these people are ghost workers.
This could have been caused by genuine errors in failing to clear workers from the system or deliberate manipulation of the system by some corrupt cabinet officers.
Subsequent checks have revealed that some of the workers had long ceased working for the government or were dead.
Tumfweko has discovered that some ministries are over-spending their salary budgets because of the ‘ghost workers’.
The problem is prevalent in almost all ministries especially in the Ministry of Education where it is rampant.
Posted by Editor
on October 12, 2011. Filed under LATEST NEWS.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0.
You can leave a response or trackback to this entry
SJP
October 12, 2011 at 8:04 am
MMD knew about this!
richard
October 12, 2011 at 10:50 am
its not possible to pocket money from the GRZ payroll besides cabinet does not handle payroll issues these are hanle by ministries themselves.
Government has a well transparent system of paying its workers and you cannot maintain gost workers on it. Kindly tumfweko research your publication
SJP
October 12, 2011 at 8:05 am
MMD’s operational costs!
MAI
October 12, 2011 at 8:06 am
shame.
Khyle
October 12, 2011 at 8:11 am
Kontorole Kontorole ZoOna!!
Shi Mpundu Mulenga wampanga
October 12, 2011 at 8:14 am
King Cobra is here to clean the secret bedrooms of this country.Just wait a little while,he is coming to that.
The previous ministers and PS obviously knew about that but decided not to act for one reason or the other.Time has come for claen ups.God help HE mr.President – Sata. Amen.
nkole mukuka
October 12, 2011 at 8:18 am
areest them immeditely
uncircumcised William
October 12, 2011 at 8:19 am
viva data
nkole mukuka
October 12, 2011 at 8:20 am
areest them immediately
William Mulenga
October 12, 2011 at 8:22 am
Surprising! That a thing happening in this computer age. Why not bring in a system that will kick someone out of the payrol immediately that person is out of employment.
humpty dumpty
October 12, 2011 at 9:31 am
But how there is always a human being feeding data in the computer
uncircumcised William
October 12, 2011 at 8:23 am
fire the secretary to the cabinet and affected PS
TRUE RANGERS
October 12, 2011 at 8:26 am
Scams, scams, scams. No wonder H E MCS is saying this country is rotten.
Ubuntungwa Mu Jambo Jambo
October 12, 2011 at 8:29 am
All they need is take these chaps to Woodlands Stadium, Dept by Dept, call out their names and each responds and shows them NRC and proof of employment. Anyone who does not show up is a ghost. Of course there are better methods for this physical verification but surely it is not Rocket Science.
correctedZ
October 12, 2011 at 4:11 pm
Nice way of conducting verification – woodlands stadium, hahaha. Every now and then they tell us there is verification of grz employees now we wonder what it is they verify.
Ubuntungwa Mu Jambo Jambo
October 12, 2011 at 8:32 am
Maybe that,is how parties raise funds for their upkeep when in power. For, where is the Auditor General when all this crap is happening? Any auditor who has done even CABS will tell u how to do a physical verification.
Analyst
October 12, 2011 at 8:35 am
WHAT THEEEE………………………..KUMUKOBEKO FYE KU KABWE IS THE SOLUTION…
Wantanshi
October 12, 2011 at 8:39 am
I am awaiting mass imprisonments. What’s really going to piss me of if no one is found guilty or they are given blanket amnesty. To teach the would be wrong doers, stiff and merciless prison sentences should be meted out to these plunderers.
ba ndola
October 12, 2011 at 8:41 am
This not true! The GRZ USES THE SAP SYSTEM TO RUNING THE PAYROLL. AND SAP IS A VERY HI TECH SYSTEM AND HAS SERIOUS CONTROLS THE SYSTEM HAS BEEN PROGRAMMED TO TERMINATE ALL WORKERS HOW CLOCK 55 YRS OLD. THEY PAYROLL HAS BEEN DECENTRISED SO EVERY MINSTRY HAS AUTHORITY OVER IT STAFF. SO HOW CAN PIPO FROM CABINET OFFICE POCKET PIPO’S MONI? GET UR FACTS RIGHT DONT MISS LEAD THE COUNTRY!
Bashi Waza
October 12, 2011 at 9:44 am
You are right SAP has all these security controls. But it is also true that the system administrator with powerful privileges can alter the date of birth for a retired person so that they can remain on the payroll. I guess this is where the investigation should start from.
Do it right!
October 12, 2011 at 12:31 pm
You are a great thinker!
Rfat
October 12, 2011 at 1:18 pm
Ati Ba ndola thats what makes it porous if any one can make changes, no strict control it needs proper admin. thr better programs here in Zambia developed by fwebene mudala.
MMC Chilebabes
October 12, 2011 at 8:42 am
Even Thandiwe Banda used to get paid while she was first lady.
humpty dumpty
October 12, 2011 at 9:35 am
What abut those who die or dismissed how does that system react
Anani Koffi
October 12, 2011 at 8:49 am
The problem in Zambia you dont respect Computer Scientists. I man the top most if the only person you can call computer scientists. I graduated from UNZA started but can u imagine all GRZ jobs am not picked but all private Jobs am picked. ALl the top notch companied you know in Zambia most of them have offered me a job. I have worked for a few of them but I am tired. I wanted to work in GRZ to help them but alas ba Matole tamfwaya balantina.
Including unza Samuel banda was tinaling me think I will be dean.
Ubuntungwa Mu Jambo Jambo
October 12, 2011 at 9:04 am
You have my day Anani Koffi. Good on u bob.
Ubuntungwa Mu Jambo Jambo
October 12, 2011 at 9:05 am
U have made my day!
humpty dumpty
October 12, 2011 at 9:37 am
You dont sound that learned
mwamba
October 12, 2011 at 11:11 am
Anani, i feel you man. BTW how many of us comp scientists are in GRZ? We want to help zambia but these suckers dont want to employ us.Here we are making money for the so called investors
Anani Koffi
October 12, 2011 at 2:45 pm
Thanks Mwamba. U know i did not say am the only computer scientist but I said am the best in the whole country. You know my weakness is that I know my strenght and that my strength is that I know that am not weak.
Chiingu Mwanakapoba Romance
October 12, 2011 at 8:54 am
Sata at work.Mudala clean up the system to shame the devil and the doubting Thomases.
zemandola babes
October 12, 2011 at 9:02 am
Bachila bakabwalala aba King Cobra clean the ministries
IN 90 DAYS
October 12, 2011 at 9:12 am
Mmmmmm THIS COUNTRY IS RICH BUT MONEY GOES TO A FEW INDIVIDUALS but in 90 days all ghost workers will be screened.
ALL MINISTRIES SHOULD CONDUCT HEAD TO HEAD COUNT ON LABOUR WITH THE HELP OF INDEPENDENT OBSERVERS THAT WAY GHOST WORKERS WILL BE IDENTIFIED TAKEN TO COURT AND ACCOUNT FOR THE MILLIONS OF KWACHA LOST IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS.THOSE THAT HAVE PASSED AWAY,THERE SHOULD TRACE THE ONES MAKING THE SALARY WITHDRAWS FROM THEIR DECEASED ACCOUNT.WE NEED MEDICINE IN OUR HOSPITAL,BETTER ROADS ETC
msana wanzili
October 12, 2011 at 9:13 am
Retirees who knowingly have been drawing a salary should be made to pay up with interest. As for ghost employees, culprits’ property must be seized and auctioned off to. Only common sense needed.
IN 90 DAYS
October 12, 2011 at 9:18 am
Tinaling me have never head of this word.is it french,english or what ? Anan Koffi taunfya
msana wanzili
October 12, 2011 at 9:24 am
We need to try fast track justice system for these criminals even if means introducing night court sessions. As for sick notes, move courts to their death beds until their cases are disposed off. Only common sense needed no rocket science.
naine ni nvelenikoni
October 12, 2011 at 9:29 am
Anan Koffi u broke my ribs with laughter, yaba! tamunfwa ma guys!!
MMD
October 12, 2011 at 9:29 am
Fitole Fwenu ba rupHie & da Crew. Mushindowendi
Mwishikulu Sata
October 12, 2011 at 9:43 am
Umuntu mu progress ni Data! Wapya baisa!
ROBBIN HOOD
October 12, 2011 at 10:04 am
I knew RB & his minions had broken the law, stolen and did all sorts of rubish an ordinary thief can want to do. But what we are seeing now is horrific, especially that Levi died trying to sweep chiluba’s misdids. I tell u right now Satan is telling God… “utu twena teyine natupangile, twaipanga fye tweka”. Ba stupid.
mo taim
October 12, 2011 at 10:19 am
Yeah this thing has been there but some chaps turned a blind eye.
ROBBIN HOOD
October 12, 2011 at 10:41 am
Muprivate sector there is a small mine pa Mazabuka… i think Kalafwaikwa sweeping.
The guys are taking too much material, saying it’s Nikel. Basakala Fingi bale sendamo, The law is too weak to control such things. Gold; Silver; Copper. Every tonne of the concetntrate bala meya bamakaka. Just imagine they’ve been contemplating getting the ore direct to china without concentrating it first.
We are F**KED, i tell u.
bitumen
October 12, 2011 at 11:01 am
FIRE THE SECRETARY TO THE CABINET…….
snr citizen
October 12, 2011 at 11:20 am
No wonder there are no salary increment just imagine if every ghost is paid K1,000,000.00 per month which means K15 billion is being thrown in Zambezi river every month while best swimmers goes under the river and pick it for their luxury life. I have been praying for HMCS and pf I really thank God for this wonderful gift he has given us. May the almighty add more years to mcs’s life it like a veil has been lifted from our eyes now we are able to see.
NBOVU J
October 12, 2011 at 11:57 am
GO PF, CLEAN THE WHOLE SYSTEM. ITS ALWAYS BEEN RAIN IN THE OCEAN AND SUN IN DA DESERT. WE WANT EQUAL OPPOTUNITIES TO EVERY THING, AFTER ALL ZIKO NI BANTU
Wa Ndale
October 12, 2011 at 12:00 pm
Is Cobby informed? He will dissolve the civil service by 19:00 hours
mwanya nshamyebe
October 12, 2011 at 12:18 pm
Ala you have cracked me up. i agree with you, i think he hasn’t heard. once he gets wind of the news, he ll do something about it.
Ghost worker
October 12, 2011 at 12:02 pm
Ba Tumfweko,thats not unearthing a scam when u say some people told you that bla bla bla…You have not even proved anything,u love rumour mongering,change you name to Tumfweko 460.
Donchi noku Beba
October 12, 2011 at 12:05 pm
Twaika ba pompwe
BS
October 12, 2011 at 12:06 pm
The biggest problem we have in Zambia is that Our National Registration Cards are not harmonised with systems that could help us monitor or curb such vices. We need to adopt a system similar to the one that they have in RSA. In RSA the department of home affairs issues Identity cards, it issues birth certificates, It issues death certificates, it Issues marriage certificates so every stage in a persons life is recorded and monitored by the same department.The data base is linked and accessible by the department in all towns. Say if someone who is originally from Lusaka goes to Senanga and dies there. Once the Senaga home affairs department issues a death certificate,
the data would get updated across the country.
Mulinamatu
October 12, 2011 at 12:10 pm
Tumfweko dont start lies otherwise your site will be irrelevant. A week ago you wrote about Magande and BOZ. Now you want to implicate Cabinet. Mind you if people have saved and utilised their money and have built Lodges you should not tarnish their names without facts. We know some of them they have worked for the country hard and with integrity; and are professional civil servants. No wonder MCS has refused to be used in your witch hunt tacts. Please refrain from being jelousy of people who have prepared their retirements well while some have been spending money on sweet sixnteens………….. Do your research and may be go back to school and learn to research your work!!!!! We dont want our country to be destroyed by dull journalist like YOU!!!
Katiya Toonse
October 12, 2011 at 12:28 pm
THERE IS NO SMOKE WITHOUT FIRE.
IT IS NOT A QUESTION OF IMPLICATING CABINET.
CABINET OFFICE IS RESPONSIBLE TO MONITOR AND EVALUATE MINISTRIES. SO IF MINISTRIES CONSISTENTLY FAULTER, IT MEANS THERE MUST BE SOMETHING WRONG IN THE M & E SYSTEM FROM IMMEDIATELY ABOVE.
IT CAN NOT BE DENIED THAT THERE HAS BEEN UTTER CHAOS IN SOME, IF NOT, ALL MINISTRIES.
FILES GO AMISS FOR YEARS AND AFFECTED OFFICERS GET SO FRUSTRATED THAT SOME JUST OPT TO LEAVE… [SURELY, CABINET OFFICE OUGHT TO BE AWARE OF ALL THAT!]
Rfat
October 12, 2011 at 1:10 pm
Investigate if the former first lady is still a victim of these ghost workers and do some justice. Its not fair for poor zambian’s who really working hard!
chick niggarz
October 12, 2011 at 1:26 pm
chume ulupi!
Zential
October 12, 2011 at 2:27 pm
Xpecially in the ministry of education were dora wz , and she wz so mch talkative lik she is a ware of all thngs that ar happing in Govrt kashi ur thieves.
Anani Koffi
October 12, 2011 at 2:40 pm
Guys if this is true then Sata or sorry his ex -MCS need to move fast and create 15000 jobs easily by simply cleaning this messy.
This is why we need labour related statistics.
One of you guys questioned whether am learned or not? School wise a have bachelors with distinction but this is not what makes me wise the key is I was far better than anyone who taught me. Because of this I have decided not to pursue the useless further studies u call Masters and PhDs because i will still be taught by dull chaps.
Anyway the point is I dont need to have alot of papers to pump sense in you. I am like Sata. Your RB with BA (economics) did not see that it was wrong buying 2 cars valued at K3.6 Billion but Sata not very educated according to your defination has seen it.
Your RB (BA -economics) did not see that ZNS was not doing its purpose
But Sata (Born Wise) has directed ZNS to back to work.
Mwandekelsha
October 12, 2011 at 2:47 pm
these things r real nd its hapening in every GRZ dptment as 4 us in Mfuwe we are not given our hardship allowance,we do’t recieve funding,we do’t hav our own transport but we fall under the PSs ofice,we do’t know wu is enjoyg our money coz we’v writen 2 the PSs ofice over the matta bt nothg hs been don even 1 of the newly appoited D/Minister wu by the time was D/PS 4 eastern province knows the issue. I wud appreciate if u took up this issue ba Tumfweko like u’v done with other issues
Ndikalombwana kachende
October 12, 2011 at 3:27 pm
This is what happens as a father if you try to steal in the presence of your children everybody will take advantage of it. When people were saying RB is a thief others wudn’t understand it see wat has happened now. There are alot of things which still need 2 be restored.
sansah
October 12, 2011 at 4:00 pm
This is not news. Ghost workers have always been there since Kaunda days. The problem in Zambia is that most ministries still use papers. If all ministries were updated and computers were put it would just be a matter of minutes for someone to delete someone who died from the payroll. As someone who worked in the government just for one item to be changed the piece of paper had to pass through 5 hands/desks, by the time that paper reaches the 5th person it is no longer a priority hence comes an opportunity for someone to steal or commit fraud. Technology is important.
nomba ninshi
October 12, 2011 at 4:18 pm
sansah u r absolutely correct. most of the ministries r just rigid toward ideas of technologies.computerising their system Sud b a good start
Scared Citizen
October 12, 2011 at 4:42 pm
Get rid of the bad nats…
chizo #1
October 12, 2011 at 5:45 pm
de curtain as nw bin rolled over & nw we can see. imagine bein blind folded mu calo chesu. justice has now prevailed. freedom at last.
ZOC
October 12, 2011 at 7:12 pm
arrest the bagga and bring them to book this is the chaps make us ukulafola utukoto tie them