By Sam Otuonye
The Federal Ministry of Finance has disowned a fraudulent message currently being circulated to newly recruited staff, falsely directing them to pay a non refundable administrative fee of ₦50,000 as a condition for resumption of duty.
The Ministry described the message as the handiwork of scammers seeking to exploit unsuspecting applicants through false claims made in the name of the Federal Ministry of Finance.
The fake message, titled “Administrative Update and Compliance Notice for Newly Recruited Staff,” falsely claims that the Human Resource Management Department directed newly recruited staff to pay an administrative fee before assuming duty.
The Ministry states categorically that no such directive was issued and that the message did not originate from any office or official of the Federal Ministry of Finance.
The Ministry further clarified that recruitment into the Federal Ministry of Finance is conducted strictly in accordance with the established procedures of the Federal Civil Service.
At no stage of the recruitment, documentation or onboarding process are applicants or newly recruited staff required to pay any administrative, processing or resumption fee.
Accordingly, prospective employees and members of the public are advised to disregard the fraudulent message and refrain from making any payment or disclosing personal or financial information to individuals behind the scam.
The Ministry urged anyone who receives the message or has information that could assist in identifying those responsible for the fraudulent scheme to report the matter to the appropriate law enforcement agencies. Such information may also be brought to the attention of the Ministry through its official communication channels.
The Federal Ministry of Finance remains committed to transparency, fairness and integrity in all its recruitment processes and will continue to work with relevant authorities to protect members of the public from fraudulent activities carried out in its name.
The Ministry appreciates the vigilance of members of the public and encourages Nigerians to verify any information relating to employment opportunities with the Federal Ministry of Finance through official Government channels before taking any action.
