In a bid to investigate employment racketeering and gross mismanagement of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) by agencies of the Federal Government, the House of Representatives Ad hoc Committee has summoned key security and intelligence agencies, along with other government bodies. The summons was issued on Tuesday, and the agencies are required to appear before the committee on Wednesday.
During the hearing on Tuesday, Chairman of the Committee, Yusuf Gagdi, expressed displeasure over the absence of the invited agencies despite receiving proper invitations. The agencies summoned include the Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited, Nigerian Broadcasting Commission, Nigerian Communication Commission, Nigerian Post Services, Nigerian Frequency Management Council, Galaxy Backbone, National Identity Management Commission, Nigerian Correctional Service, Nigeria Immigration Service, Fire Service, Nigerian Police Force, Defence Intelligence Agency, State Security Service, National Intelligence Agency, Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit, Nigerian Army, Nigerian Airforce, and Nigerian Navy.
The Accountant General of the Federation also appeared before the House of Representatives Ad hoc Committee during the hearing. She addressed allegations of enrolling ghost workers for personal gains and clarified that her office was working diligently to identify and eliminate ghost workers from the system even before the introduction of the IPPIS.
In her statement, the Accountant-General revealed that the IPPIS required thorough review, prompting her to organize a series of stakeholders’ meetings with all service providers associated with the system. These meetings, spanning two weeks, allowed for comprehensive discussions and identification of issues. Following this, technical committees were formed to address the concerns raised during the stakeholders’ meetings.
The Accountant General explained that only 640 out of over 900 agencies of the Federal Government had been successfully captured on the IPPIS. Some agencies, including security and intelligence bodies, federal government-owned revenue-generating enterprises, self-funding agencies, and parastatals with special salary payment arrangements, were not included in the IPPIS. She stressed that a mandatory Act by the National Assembly might be necessary to ensure all government agencies are brought under the IPPIS.
Regarding the issue of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the Accountant-General acknowledged the challenges faced in enrolling them due to an emergency situation. While some resistance was initially encountered, the government managed to persuade ASUU to enroll on the IPPIS. However, in certain instances, some ASUU members were erroneously enrolled in excess of the agreed numbers. This led to discrepancies between the actual budget allocation and the payroll figures.
One specific case cited was the University College Hospital in Ibadan, where staff members were forced to enroll more personnel than approved. This incident came to light after the staff returned to their respective offices.
The House of Representatives Ad hoc Committee has vowed to continue its investigation into the IPPIS mismanagement and employment irregularities to ensure transparency, accountability, and efficiency in the management of government funds. The summoned agencies are expected to cooperate fully during the hearing on Wednesday.
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