Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson
Simon Utebor, Yenagoa
The Bayelsa Government says it has uncovered payroll fraud in the State Universal Basic Education Board with the discovery of over 765 illegally employed teachers in the eight local government areas.
The government also said it uncovered 50 dead persons in Ogbia Local Government Education Authority.
A statement from Government House  on Thursday quoted the Executive Secretary of SUBEB, Mr. Walton Liverpool, as saying that with the latest discovery, the government will be saving over N100m monthly.
Liverpool, an in-law to Governor Seriake Dickson,  has been in charge of SUBEB since Dickson became governor.
He said, “These sets of workers were illegally employed by fraudsters and now parading as civil servants. As you are all aware, since the inception of the present administration, an embargo has been placed on fresh employment, but some people went behind to employ their cronies and backdated it to 2007.
“In the course of our investigation, after cross checking the 2007 nominal roll and vouchers with the recent ones, it was discovered that over 765 names have been infused. This has been the practice of some scrupulous officers in the Local Government education Authorities.
“Some of the affected workers are being aided by the Local Government Education Authority staff. As I am talking to you now, one of them is detained at the State Criminal Investigation Department and more will still be arrested.”