Abuja (Sundiata Post) – The Federal Government has assured Nigerians that the recent removal of some names of workers from the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) was meant to rid the civil service of ghost workers.
The spokesman in the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF), Mr. Bawa Mokwa, said those not captured in the last verification would get a second chance to validate their existence in service.
The verification, he explained, is an exercise conducted yearly by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHoCSF).
On IPPIS, Mokwa said the platform only processes data submitted to it from the HoCSF, adding that it does not translate to sacking workers.
The spokesman said the information at the disposal of the OAGF showed that the total number of civil servants who failed to participate in the verification is less than 17,000.
According to him, anybody whose details are not captured on the IPPIS platform are automatically locked out of it.
Mokwa said such individuals would not be able to access his or her salary until the issue is rectified.
The Director Communications at the OHoCSF, Muhammad Ahmed, blamed those delisted for not using the time allotted for the verification to ensure that they were captured on the IPPIS.
He said: “Five years is enough time to have done their online verification. So, it is easy to assume that they are ghost workers.”
“Those whose names were delisted from the portal, erroneously, should come forward and submit their documents for verification. The portal will be open next week for those who have not done their online verification.
“So far, 818 from the names delisted have submitted their documents. We have verified their names and sent to the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation.
“We urge those who have not already done so to quickly do the needful so their names can be reinstated into the IPPIS portal.”
A source at the OHoCSF said it became necessary to take the action as most of the persons delisted from the government payroll were suspected to be ghost workers.
But he maintained that their appointment had not been terminated from the civil service while their names could also be reinstated into the IPPIS as soon as they complete their verification.
He said: “In 2018, the Head of Service asked all civil servants to do an online verification: print out a copy and give to their Head of Department to sign and then submit.
“Most of the names delisted from the IPPIS are those who failed to do the verification. So, it is suspected that they’re ghost workers.
“However, not all of them are ghost workers. Some are those who are naturally nonchalant and failed to do it out of negligence. Some are actually ghost workers. Some are no longer alive. There are some who have travelled abroad but are still collecting salary, while some others are just human errors.
“For example, some political appointees were delisted, some commissioners and a host of others who evidently went through the verification are on the list. This is why I said some are mere human errors.
“However, the Head of Service has given all those whose names were delisted an opportunity to come and repeat the verification and those who already have the document should come and submit.
“Although they will not receive salary for September – and perhaps subsequent months – until necessary clearance is done, then they will be reinstated on the IPPIS. This will enable the Head of Service to know those who are really ghost workers.”(Nation)