Yemi-Esan explained to the media in Abuja that the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System had resulted in the suspension of the civil servants’ salaries.

According to figures provided by the office of the Head of Service, the IPPS, which is supported by the Federal Government, has so far uncovered and expelled around 70,000 ghost workers from the public service system.

However, Yemi-Esan said, “You can not manipulate your age anymore as a result of the IPPIS. When we opened the portal for verification, so many people were hesitant. They didn’t want to expose their false date of birth. We also saw quite a number that didn’t have certificates and had been earning salaries for the past 10 to 20 years.

“When we did the first cleanup on the payroll system, we discovered about 300 persons across the various MDAs who did not upload their details for verification. We stopped their salaries and by the time we re-opened the portals, we didn’t get up to 300 who came back with their certificates.”