The Federal Government has been saved the sum of N361 billion through the implementation of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF) said on Sunday.
This it said was made possible despite opposition and sabotage from some quarters.
The OAGF was reacting to reports that the April 2020 salaries of Nigerian Armed Forces personnel were delayed as a result of “incapability and inexperience” of the operators of the IPPIS.
It however refuted the claim in a statement signed by Director, Information, Press and Public Relations, Mr Henshaw Ogubike, saying the delay was caused by the lockdown ordered by the Federal Government to curb the spread of COVID-19 in the country.
According to the statement, the lockdown “led to late submission of variations by the agencies concerned and the need to accommodate their input in the April payroll accordingly”, the OAGF said.
“Suffice it to state that the staff of the OAGF and the IPPIS are competent professionals who have demonstrated the will and capacity to get the job done in line with the presidential directives, despite distractions and opposition from some quarters whose objective is to sabotage the government policy that has saved the nation over N361bn”, the statement added.
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The OAGF also disclosed that the Federal Government had completed the payment of the April 2020 salaries of Armed Forces personnel in the country.
“According to the IPPIS office, the delay in the salary payment was due to the unexpected lockdown in the country.
“This explanation became necessary in view of a report which alleged that the April 2020 salaries of military and paramilitary personnel were delayed as a result of incapability and inexperience of the operators of the IPPIS.
“As mentioned in the report, officials of the IPPIS had given assurances that the salaries would be paid between 4th and 8th May.
The OAGF also insisted that the report was a deliberate attempt to misinform and mislead the public with a view to achieving an unholy objective.
“Such report has the potency to incite the Armed Forces and the general public against the operations of the IPPIS,” the OAGF said.
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