The Kwara State Government on Thursday said that it saved ₦49 million through the introduction of e-payment during the recent screening of teachers.
Alhaji Bolaji Abdullahi , the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, said this at a news briefing in Ilorin.
He said that ₦32 million remained in the account of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) after the introduction of e-payment in February and March 2009.
He said that the amount could not be found in the account in the following month, prompting the governor, Bukola Saraki, to order the screening of the teachers.
Abdullahi said that at the end of the screening, it was discovered that some teachers were receiving double salaries, while payments were also being made to some ``ghost teachers''.
He said that the culprits had started posting some of the unpaid money into the accounts of some teachers.
Abdullahi also said that ₦17 million was illegally lodged in the account of some cooperative societies.
He said that some of the arrested suspects had made confessional statements, adding that investigation into the fraud had commenced.
Abdullahi said that the fraud at SUBEB involved a network of persons, adding that the crime had been perpetrated for years.
The commissioner said that one of SUBEB's officials (name withheld) had returned ₦7 million to the government coffers.
He, however, vowed that all those involved in the fraud would be made to face the full wrath of the law.