IPPIS Action: Unverified Workers Face Payroll Removal Oct 27

The Federal Government has made it clear that it intends to remove unverified civil servants from its payroll as part of the ongoing Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) verification process, and this will be implemented by Friday, October 27, 2023. The announcement was conveyed in a statement issued by Mr. Mohammed Ahmed, the Director of Communication in the office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HOCSF).

The IPPIS system has been in operation since 2007, with the primary objective of achieving transparency, accuracy, safety, and reliability in managing personnel records within the government. Additionally, the system was designed to address issues related to excess personnel costs and eliminate inefficiencies in the payroll system.

Mr. Ahmed, in his statement, highlighted the pivotal role played by the HOCSF, as it serves as the central repository of official records and information concerning all public servants in the country. One of its key responsibilities is to ensure the accuracy and integrity of the payroll system by conducting periodic audits and verification exercises.

Explaining the rationale behind initiating the implementation with the payroll module, Mr. Ahmed emphasized the government’s commitment to eradicating the issue of ghost workers and minimizing financial leakages arising from personnel costs. The initial focus on the payroll module was seen as a strategic move to directly address these concerns.

He went on to detail the verification exercises conducted by the HOCSF, revealing that some civil servants failed to complete the verification process, leading to their exclusion from the IPPIS system. In response to this situation, some of the affected officers approached the HOCSF’s office, seeking a final opportunity to comply with the verification requirements.

Recognizing the urgency and importance of addressing this issue, the government made the decision to temporarily reopen the verification portal from October 3 to 13, allowing the affected officers to update their records. However, due to budget constraints and logistical challenges, these officers were required to travel to Abuja for the physical verification exercise, as deploying staff to various states for the exercise was no longer feasible.

Mr. Ahmed emphasized that the ongoing exercise is a crucial step towards finalizing the records of all civil servants. Any officer whose records could not be verified by the conclusion of the two-week exercise on Friday, October 27, 2023, will face delisting from the government’s payroll.

This decision follows a previous action by the federal government in September, where over 17,000 government employees were removed from the IPPIS platform due to their failure to participate in verification exercises that had been ongoing for a period exceeding five years. In response to the plea from these unverified officers, an additional two-week grace period was granted to allow them to complete the verification process.

The government’s commitment to enhancing the integrity and transparency of the payroll system is evident through these measures. The IPPIS system is expected to play a pivotal role in reducing wastage of public funds and ensuring that government resources are efficiently allocated. Furthermore, the ongoing verification exercise represents a significant step towards achieving a more accurate and reliable record-keeping system for all civil servants in the country.