Welcome, Guest: Register On Nairaland / LOGIN! / Trending / Recent / New
Stats: 3,143,263 members, 7,780,585 topics. Date: Thursday, 28 March 2024 at 04:59 PM

Kogi Civil Servant Who Returned N1.78m Excess Salary Speaks (photo) - Career - Nairaland

Nairaland Forum / Nairaland / General / Career / Kogi Civil Servant Who Returned N1.78m Excess Salary Speaks (photo) (40908 Views)

Keke Driver Returned N1.1M To Owner, Rewarded With N200 For Recharge Card / Tony Ogah Gives N1m To Kogi Civil Servant Who Resigned (Photo) / Woman Who Returned N1.8m Mistakenly Paid To Her Gets Query From Kogi Govt. (2) (3) (4)

(1) (2) (3) (Reply) (Go Down)

Kogi Civil Servant Who Returned N1.78m Excess Salary Speaks (photo) by lalasticlala(m): 11:54am On Jun 26, 2017
Honesty despite hardship: Couple owed 16 months’ arrears return N1.78m ‘salary’


For the family of Mr Yakubu Mohammed and his wife, Husseina, the popular saying, “honesty is the best policy,” aptly describes a difficult decision they made in the face of a harsh economic situation.



Husseina Mohammed is a level seven accountant in the service of the Kogi State government, attached to the Teaching Service Commission (TSC) in Lokoja, the state capital. Her monthly salary is approximately N34,000.

However, one morning,while shopping, Husseina’s phone beeped, indicating a text message. Upon opening the folder containing the SMS, she saw that her salary account domiciled in Zenith Bank, Lokoja Branchhad been credited with N1, 787, 550.98k. The text message stated that it was her salary for the month of March, 2017.

Shocked, Husseina told Nigerian Tribune that she read the message over and over again. Aside reading the message repeatedly, she took her time to count the figures displayed in the message. After a while, she abandoned the materials she had come to buy and found her way home.

On getting home, she narrated her experience to her husband. After a brief interaction, they decided to refund the money, saying that it was the right thing to do. The decision to refund the money was expected to be a difficult one for the family because of their peculiar situation, but it became the simplest one for them, the couple stated.

Husseina’s husband, an employee of the TSC in Lokoja, was one of those affected by the ongoing screening exercise in the state. He disclosed that For 15 months, he argued that he had not received any salary from government.

Throughout this period the family depended on the salary of the wife that was also not promptly paid for survival. Many believed the money wrongly paid into her account should have been a solution to the problem facing them. But that was not to be, the money was not allowed to stay beyond 24 hours in the account as it was returned to the coffers of the government.

To Mohammed, despite the fact that government owed her husband 15 months’ salary, her upbringing and religious belief would not allow her to illegally enrich the family.

Narrating her story, she said: “The story about what happened is that my husband has not been paid for 15 months. I found N1.78 million belonging to the state government in my account. Despite the fact that the government owes us about 16 months’ salary arrears (my husband and I included), I refunded the money to the state government. I wrote a letter, which I copied the accountant general, the chairman of the TSC and the Director General, Bureau of Information and Grassroots Mobilisation, that I had refunded the money.”

On what first struck her mind when she got the alert, Husseina said, “When I saw the money, what went through my mind was that there were many people out there suffering because they had not been paid and then mistakenly the government paid the money into my account. I immediately knew the money was meant for other people, not me.”

When asked why she didn’t divert the money considering the financial straight her husband’s unpaid salary had put them, she replied, “It can’t happen that way because I studied accounting. I know that at the end of the day if they found out, I would be punished.”

However further investigation showed that it was her husband who finally decided what should be done with the money. He was reported to have added his voice to that of his wife that the money should be paid back to government.

“It was the decision of my husband. He said the money must not stay more than a day before returning it. My religion also teaches me that it is not good to take what does not belong to one; my father also taught me that I should never take what does not belong to me. But I feel bad when I see people who are being owed salaries. I know what my husband is passing through. Getting payment for the children’s school fees has not been easy. Only the grace of God has been keeping us moving; the school fees of the children, house rent and so on. It is not easy; even feeding has been challenging. God has been the one sustaining us.”

Husseina, however, used the opportunity to make some demands from government, saying, “I just want the government to kindly increase our salary and pay workers that are being owed.”

In the same vein, the husband said his family members would not, because of their financial situation, steal government money or conceal such payment.

According to him, “I am being owed 16 months; that money mistakenly paid into my wife’s account is a very huge amount of money that could have sufficiently sorted the backlog of arrears that I am being owed by government.

“When my wife told me about her discovery, I felt the money was meant for another worker who probably was expecting payment. Since it was not mine, there was no need keeping it. There was nothing like a mistake or mix up of my account with that of my wife; my account details are okay. Even during the last screening exercise, I had no issues with my account.

“I encouraged my wife to refund the money because that was the way we were brought up. She was also properly brought up, the money was not my own; it belonged to the government. My religion does not allow me to take what does not belong to me.”

Yakubu however pleaded with the state government to pay him his outstanding salary arrears. “I appeal to the government to pay me because we are suffering. Ordinarily we would have gone with this money but we refused to do so because we know it wouldaffect government and those who made the payment pay. If we have the conviction to refund the money, the government should also pay me my money.I am suffering; I have children at home,” he said.

The Director General of the Bureau of Information and Grassroots Mobilisation, Abdulmalik Abdulkareem, described the action of the civil servants as a rare display of honesty and integrity which was in line with the crusade of the government of Alhaji Yahaya Bello.

He said with people like Husseina in the society, Nigeria is sure of winning the ongoing war against corruption, urging other civil servants and residents of the state to emulate Mrs. Mohammed, saying that her good conduct would not go unrewarded, adding that her exemplary conduct would be recorded for generations yet unborn to learn and emulate.

“The government appreciates her clear display of honesty. We urge her to continue like that; we also want to draw other people’s attention to it that we should not be tempted to do what is wrong. We must be upright and responsible believing that whatever we do even in secret will be known to the Almighty God.

“We are also happy to know that her husband is also like-minded.It was with the cooperation of her husband that she refunded the money. Despite the fact that her husband is among the civil servants on the uncleared list, he refused to be tempted. We appreciate that and the government is definitely looking into his case,” he said.


http://tribuneonlineng.com/honesty-despite-hardship-couple-owed-16-months-arrears-return-n1-78m-salary/

See earlier thread https://www.nairaland.com/3823198/kogi-civil-servant-returns-n1.7m

2 Likes 2 Shares

Re: Kogi Civil Servant Who Returned N1.78m Excess Salary Speaks (photo) by KingRex1(m): 11:58am On Jun 26, 2017
she replied, “....I know that at the end of the day if they found out, I would be punished.”

Thers a big difference between honesty and fear smiley

237 Likes 14 Shares

Re: Kogi Civil Servant Who Returned N1.78m Excess Salary Speaks (photo) by Omotayor123(f): 12:25pm On Jun 26, 2017
Nice Gesture.
Their honesty Will definitely pay off someday.

It's not everyone that has the Liver to Steal.. But I wonder how they overpaid such amount of money.

5 Likes 1 Share

Re: Kogi Civil Servant Who Returned N1.78m Excess Salary Speaks (photo) by makydebbie(f): 1:57pm On Jun 26, 2017
KingRex1:
she replied, “....I know that at the end of the day if they found out, I would be punished.”

Thers a big difference between honesty and fear smiley

Maybe not. The man also realises, someone out there is waiting for his money.

45 Likes 2 Shares

Re: Kogi Civil Servant Who Returned N1.78m Excess Salary Speaks (photo) by YelloweWest: 5:39pm On Jun 26, 2017
Not every Nigerian is corrupt

4 Likes

Re: Kogi Civil Servant Who Returned N1.78m Excess Salary Speaks (photo) by princefunmmy(m): 5:39pm On Jun 26, 2017
They would have been caught anyways, but the thought that the money is to pay for others salary is commendable

4 Likes

Re: Kogi Civil Servant Who Returned N1.78m Excess Salary Speaks (photo) by Nonybb: 5:39pm On Jun 26, 2017
I don't understand this couple.. Why did you return the money, explain it correctly to me

7 Likes

Re: Kogi Civil Servant Who Returned N1.78m Excess Salary Speaks (photo) by Olibboy: 5:39pm On Jun 26, 2017
Me I no wan read anything. Just like a yoruba movie, wetin dem go do than to spend money or report d bank. thanks

1 Like

Re: Kogi Civil Servant Who Returned N1.78m Excess Salary Speaks (photo) by omusiliyu(m): 5:40pm On Jun 26, 2017
In this country

1 Like

Re: Kogi Civil Servant Who Returned N1.78m Excess Salary Speaks (photo) by mjbaba: 5:40pm On Jun 26, 2017
They wouldn't have got away with spending the money tho. It was credited into a salary account. An account that has your full details and that of your office. If u spend am, ajekun iya, loje

11 Likes

Re: Kogi Civil Servant Who Returned N1.78m Excess Salary Speaks (photo) by Liemuhammed: 5:40pm On Jun 26, 2017
That is laudable

Abeg, seun and co, do something about this your error 521 o undecided

41 Likes 3 Shares

Re: Kogi Civil Servant Who Returned N1.78m Excess Salary Speaks (photo) by dayleke: 5:41pm On Jun 26, 2017
Nice of them na
Re: Kogi Civil Servant Who Returned N1.78m Excess Salary Speaks (photo) by Tolulopefinest(m): 5:41pm On Jun 26, 2017
Nonsense. In this economic downturn, you're returning money to a nonsnse government.

That's FOOLISHNESS. sad

7 Likes

Re: Kogi Civil Servant Who Returned N1.78m Excess Salary Speaks (photo) by AroOkigbo(m): 5:41pm On Jun 26, 2017
Rare breed
Re: Kogi Civil Servant Who Returned N1.78m Excess Salary Speaks (photo) by Badboiz(m): 5:41pm On Jun 26, 2017
Hmmm
Re: Kogi Civil Servant Who Returned N1.78m Excess Salary Speaks (photo) by Kaodek(m): 5:41pm On Jun 26, 2017
Honest grin
Re: Kogi Civil Servant Who Returned N1.78m Excess Salary Speaks (photo) by Nobody: 5:42pm On Jun 26, 2017
KingRex1:
she replied, “....I know that at the end of the day if they found out, I would be punished.”

Thers a big difference between honesty and fear smiley

Even if it was done out of fear, it was still a righteous act. Some people are bold to commit crimes and do dishonest things. . . All the same, it wouldn't be a criminal act if she had withdrawn the money... She didnt steal it.

9 Likes 1 Share

Re: Kogi Civil Servant Who Returned N1.78m Excess Salary Speaks (photo) by brunofarad(m): 5:42pm On Jun 26, 2017
We need more people like this in this country.

1 Like

Re: Kogi Civil Servant Who Returned N1.78m Excess Salary Speaks (photo) by TopsyKrete: 5:42pm On Jun 26, 2017
Tell me na lie?
Re: Kogi Civil Servant Who Returned N1.78m Excess Salary Speaks (photo) by ucsquare(m): 5:43pm On Jun 26, 2017
person dey find cash,dis ones saw and refused to flex.

1 Like

Re: Kogi Civil Servant Who Returned N1.78m Excess Salary Speaks (photo) by Iamkelvinobiora(m): 5:43pm On Jun 26, 2017

1 Like

Re: Kogi Civil Servant Who Returned N1.78m Excess Salary Speaks (photo) by AkupeMBANO(m): 5:43pm On Jun 26, 2017
KingRex1:
she replied, “....I know that at the end of the day if they found out, I would be punished.”

Thers a big difference between honesty and fear smiley
Goan sit down. Atleast she did noble to refund it. give the couples some credit And stop spewing hogwash up and down, Oya stand up and borrow cence.

4 Likes 1 Share

Re: Kogi Civil Servant Who Returned N1.78m Excess Salary Speaks (photo) by ucsquare(m): 5:43pm On Jun 26, 2017
person dey find cash,dis ones saw and refused to flex mtchewwwwww

1 Like

Re: Kogi Civil Servant Who Returned N1.78m Excess Salary Speaks (photo) by nwaanambra1(m): 5:46pm On Jun 26, 2017
obviously NOT honesty but the well know FACT THAT THEY WILL BE FOUND OUT AND PROSECUTED! PERIOD!

Every other story attached to it is absolute bomkom!

2 Likes

Re: Kogi Civil Servant Who Returned N1.78m Excess Salary Speaks (photo) by samwash(m): 5:46pm On Jun 26, 2017
Why some people will go ahead to spent d money saying "God don butter my bread"
Fear God & keep His Commandments.
Nice one for d couples.

1 Like

Re: Kogi Civil Servant Who Returned N1.78m Excess Salary Speaks (photo) by Jacobmanny(m): 5:47pm On Jun 26, 2017
This gesture tell us that Nigeria will get better.
Re: Kogi Civil Servant Who Returned N1.78m Excess Salary Speaks (photo) by Nobody: 5:48pm On Jun 26, 2017
smiley smiley smiley smiley
Re: Kogi Civil Servant Who Returned N1.78m Excess Salary Speaks (photo) by nwaanambra1(m): 5:48pm On Jun 26, 2017
blackberlin:


Even if it was done out of fear, it was still a righteous act. Some people are bold to commit crimes and do dishonest things. . . All the same, it wouldn't be a criminal act if she had withdrawn the money... She didnt steal it.


wrong bro!

its a jail-able offense - its called wrongful/illegal acquisition - she and her husband knows the implication - they are both accountants.

1 Like

Re: Kogi Civil Servant Who Returned N1.78m Excess Salary Speaks (photo) by rugipp(m): 5:48pm On Jun 26, 2017
They returned the money because of the eventual negative aftermath.. kudos to them anyway. Hope the government appreciates them with something

1 Like

(1) (2) (3) (Reply)

See What Nigerian Workers Did To Their Boss Who Owed Them 4 Months Salary / My Brother's Company Takes Him To Court Because He Resigned / 9 Most Dangerous Jobs In Nigeria

(Go Up)

Sections: politics (1) business autos (1) jobs (1) career education (1) romance computers phones travel sports fashion health
religion celebs tv-movies music-radio literature webmasters programming techmarket

Links: (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10)

Nairaland - Copyright © 2005 - 2024 Oluwaseun Osewa. All rights reserved. See How To Advertise. 44
Disclaimer: Every Nairaland member is solely responsible for anything that he/she posts or uploads on Nairaland.