FG Explains Delay In April Salaries Of Military Personnel

The Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) has attributed the delay in April salary payment for military personnel to the “unexpected lockdown” declared in parts of the country due to the outbreak of Coronavirus (COVID-19).

The Accountant General’s office explained in a statement issued on Sunday that the delayed salaries arose from late submission of variations by the agencies concerned.

In the statement signed by the Director of Information, Press and Public Relations, Henshaw Ogubike, the OAGF however said the federal government had, “completed the payment of the April 2020 salaries of Armed Forces personnel in the country.”

The statement said: “The Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) Department in the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation confirmed that as at Friday 8th May, 2020, the Armed Forces personnel had been paid.

“According to the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) Office, the delay in the salary payment was due to the unexpected lockdown in the country which led to late submission of variations by the Agencies concerned and the need to accommodate their inputs in the April payroll accordingly.

“This explanation became necessary in view of a Newspaper report which alleged that the April 2020 salaries of military and paramilitary personnel was delayed as a result of incapability and inexperience of the operators of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).

“As mentioned in the newspaper report, officials of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) had given assurance that the salaries would be paid between 4th and 8th May, 2020. This was promptly carried out as noted earlier.

“Such report has the potency to incite the Armed Forces and the general public against the operations of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).

“Suffice it to state that staff of the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) and the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (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 objectives is to sabotage the government policy that has saved the nation over N361 billion.”