A major payroll scandal is brewing in Taraba State as a power struggle between the Head of Service, Dr. Ahmed Kara, and the Accountant General, Mr. Gaius Danjuma, threatens the integrity of the state’s salary administration.
The rift, which has also drawn in the Commissioner for Finance, Dr. Sarah Adi, centres on an alleged plot to move salary payment responsibilities from the Accountant General’s office back to the Head of Service — a move sources describe as being driven by “selfish interests.”
A source within the Ministry of Finance confirmed to TARABA DAILYGRAPH that the dispute has already cast a shadow over the administration of Governor Agbu Kefas.
The controversy intensified after a biometric screening of state workers conducted by a consultant revealed that 24,000 staff had been captured. However, only 20,000 names were submitted to the governor, allegedly omitting thousands and including names of deceased persons and retirees.
The screening followed a previous exercise led by the Accountant General, which was widely praised for its transparency and success in identifying ghost workers and eliminating double salary payments. That effort also laid the foundation for automation of the payroll system.
However, a new SEC committee, reportedly influenced by Dr. Kara and Dr. Adi, bypassed the consultant’s final report and submitted a doctored list to the governor.
Sources say this was part of a broader plan to undermine the Accountant General’s office and push for the relocation of salary management to the office of the Head of Service — raising fears of renewed financial malpractice.
Governor Kefas had earlier intervened in a disagreement between Kara and Danjuma over committee composition, but tensions escalated when the falsified report was presented without the consultant’s input.
A government insider accused the Head of Service and his allies of “deliberately frustrating reform efforts” for political and personal gain.
Public analysts have urged the governor to act decisively, warning that the credibility of his administration’s fiscal reforms could be at stake.
“This is beyond numbers — it’s about transparency, accountability, and public trust,” said Isa Bala, a policy analyst.
As the situation unfolds, the workers await clarity, with fears that delays or errors in payment may arise from the ongoing leadership clash.
