Council Probes Alleged Ghost Workers in Chitipa
Chitipa District Commissioner McMillan Magomero declined to comment on the allegations, saying the issue is under investigation.
CHITIPA, Malawi - The Institutional Integrity Committee at Chitipa District Council has launched investigations into alleged ghost workers on the government payroll across several departments, a committee official said, writes Michael Ng'ambi.
Magistrate Billy Ngosi, chairperson of the integrity committee, revealed the panel opened the probe after receiving reports from informants about possible fictitious employees, particularly within the district hospital's staff.
"The feedback as of now is that the human resource, and the human audit teams came to Chitipa district council where they conducted investigations, but the final outcome is yet to be given to us," Ngosi said.
He said the committee looked into allegations that the health department alone had 17 ghost workers and consulted the district commissioner before reporting the matter to the Anti-Corruption Bureau in Mzuzu.
In a written response, Egrita Ndala, principal public relations officer for the Anti-Corruption Bureau, said the bureau has not yet commenced its own investigations due to resource constraints.
Chitipa District Commissioner McMillan Magomero declined to comment on the allegations, saying the issue is under investigation.
The ghost worker problem has plagued government payrolls across Malawi for years, with employees falsifying records to receive salaries for job vacancies or non-existent roles.