Delta Govt did not invite EFCC to screen civil servants – Head of Service

Delta State government has denied reoorts that it invited the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to screen civil servants.

The Delta State Head of Service, HOS, Mrs Mininim Oseji, made the clarification on Monday during a press briefing in Asaba while announcing the activities for the 2026 Civil Service Week celebration, themed, ‘Reforms, Resilience and Results’.

Oseji clarified that the government did not invite the anti-graft agency to conduct the exercise, explaining that the EFCC initiated the screening as part of its nationwide efforts to investigate payroll systems and address concerns about ghost workers in the public service.

She said the EFCC formally wrote to the state government requesting access to payroll records and nominal rolls from selected Ministries, Departments, and Agencies, MDAs.

“When EFCC delivered the letter requesting that they wanted to screen some MDAs, I forwarded it to His Excellency, the governor, and sought guidance on our response.

“The governor directed that we should cooperate fully because Delta state has nothing to hide, and noted that the state government subsequently approved the request and designated a senior official to coordinate the exercise and facilitate interactions between the EFCC team and the affected MDAs,” the HOS said.

Oseji stressed that the exercise should not be viewed as punitive but rather as a measure aimed at strengthening confidence in the civil service.

She disclosed further that her office was among those selected for screening and she personally participated in the verification exercise despite suggestions that she could be exempted.

“As the number one civil servant in the state, I wanted to lead by example, l provided my letter of first appointment, documents and my most recent appointment letter, the officials were satisfied with the documentation,” Oseji stated.

She maintained that the Office of the HOS has been receiving regular updates on the screening process and that no complaints or adverse findings had been reported so far.

Speaking on workers’ welfare, Oseji revealed that the government had submitted proposals for an upward review of the workers’ loan scheme and was awaiting approval from the state governor.

She explained that several reforms had been introduced to improve transparency in the loan disbursement process, including the publication of beneficiaries’ names and expected payment dates to ensure fairness and reduce complaints.