Bauchi Auditor General Debunks “Ghost Vouchers” Allegation, Clarifies Audit Finding
- By Isiyaka Ismail Wunti
The Bauchi State Auditor General, Ishaku Yankari, has dismissed an online publication alleging “ghost vouchers,” describing the caption as misleading and unsupported by accepted audit terminology or findings in the official audit report.
In a statement, Ishaku Yankari explained that while “ghost payees” is a known audit term, “ghost vouchers” is not, stressing that all reviewed payment vouchers had legitimate payees, proper documentation, and were duly captured in approved budgets.
He faulted the publication for wrongly identifying certain officers as accounting officers, clarifying that such statutory responsibility lies mainly with Permanent Secretaries, not officials like the Chief of Staff to the Government.
The Auditor General also debunked claims linking Dr. Aminu Gamawa to questionable vouchers, stating that no payment voucher bore his name, and reiterated that auditors make observations, not indictments.
On pension arrears, Yankari said the state government, under Governor Bala Mohammed, has approved a verification exercise to ensure payment of gratuities, thanking the State Assembly for its continued support.
