By Joshua Tosin Ogunsakin 
The Ondo State Government has cautioned workers to steer clear of employment fraud, saying it will come down hard on any civil servant caught aiding or partnering with racketeers who extort desperate job seekers.
According to Tribune Online, the warning was issued by the Head of Service, Bayo Philip, during a press briefing held ahead of the 2025 Public Service Week. He explained that the state recently uncovered disturbing practices linked to the SUBEB teachers recruitment, which prompted internal disciplinary actions.
Philip said investigators discovered that some individuals unaffiliated with government had set up fake consultancy offices, posing as official recruitment agents and misleading applicants. He added that unsuspecting citizens fell victim after believing those impostors were working for the state.
He said: “Job racketeering is offensive. We had some stunning revelations during the investigation in to the job racketeering that happened during SUBEB recruitment of teachers.
“Some people opened consultancy offices criminally recruiting on behalf of the state government.
Somebody collected about N3m from some unsuspecting applicants and thereafter looking for some government officials to connive with to secure employments for their victims.
“But I want to state that any civil servant that gets involved in such criminal act would be fired. Some people have been relived of their jobs over the job racketeering at SUBEB.
“We will not gloss over that kind of crime. We will visit the full weight of our sanctions on them. The system does not tolerate this.”
Philip praised Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa for what he described as consistent support for the public service, noting that the administration had maintained steady promotions and improved staff welfare. He revealed that all officers due for elevation in 2025 had already received their promotion letters.
He added: “In 2025, 3,089 mainstream officers were promoted, while 1,832 were promoted in the teaching sector(Primary and Secondary) while all the parastatals of government have followed suit.
“Governor Aiyedatiwa’s administration has employed close to 3,000 mainstream officers in 2025, with similar progress across all parastatals.”
The Head of Service also outlined activities for the Public Service Week, which will open with a health walk on Wednesday from the Adegbemile Cultural Centre to the Akure Township Stadium. A novelty football match between the Mainstream Service and Local Government teams will follow.
On Thursday, The Dome will host an interactive session and public lecture where serving officers will engage past Heads of Service and Permanent Secretaries. The annual celebration will continue with Jumat prayers at the Government House Mosque on Friday and end with a Thanksgiving Service at the Government House Chapel on Sunday.
Philip, the state’s 16th Head of Service, described the week as an opportunity to celebrate excellence and reinforce professionalism within the state workforce.