FG Removes Over 70,000 Ghost Workers From Payroll, Saved N22bn

The federal government said it has eliminated no fewer than 70,000 ghost workers while saving N22bn with the implementation of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel information System (IPPIS).

The Director-General, Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR), Dr. Dasuki Arabi said this on Thursday during a press briefing held at the State House, Abuja.

The IPPIS scheme which started in April 2007, is one of the Federal Government’s reform initiative designed to achieve a centralized payroll system of the Federal Government.

It facilitates easy storage and retrieval of personnel records for administrative and pensions processing to aid manpower planning and budgeting as well as to comply with global best practice.

According to Arabi, the introduction of IPPIS has not only reduced ghost workers within the public service but has also improved the management of data and records of public servants in the country.

Responding to questions on leakages and corruption within the IPPIS system, particularly the recent N80bn fraud allegations made against the Accountant General of the Federation, Mr Ahmed Idris, the BPSR Boss blamed server security for some of the inadequacies of the system.

He, however, pointed out that IPPIS is solely utilized in the payment of salaries and not other budgetary provisions for MDAs like contracts.

“As innovations are coming on board, people are looking for other ways to satisfy their personal gains.

“I don’t know whether the corruption allegations are linked to IPPIS or something else, but, IPPIS is a platform for payment of salaries and for management of data of public servants¸ it is not a platform for payment of contracts and other things. So I think IPPIS is quite distant from the ongoing case and investigation, so let’s wait for EFCC to come up with their full report,” he said.

He added that as part of Public Service Reforms, the BPSR has also digitized the process of tax collection and tax records management.

“We have led the transformation of the tax system in Nigeria, from the comfort of your home you can pay your tax, you can retrieve your tax clearance certificate, you can do your assessment. When you apply or bid for a contract you don’t have to submit your tax clearance certificate, it can now be checked online.

“There is an integration of the systems, especially around data collection for utilization of key agencies of government, we have reformed the budget system, we have also reformed public financial management.

“We have succeeded in integrating Government Integrated Management Information System (GIFMIS). We have introduced the Treasury Single Account, which has succeeded in bringing together all revenues of government.

“We have transited 100 per cent in management of government funds and resources from paper to paperless. This is the most successful aspect of transformation of public service.

“The tax reforms have succeeded in deepening the tax basket. The tax reforms constitute one of the deepest, most successful reform efforts anywhere in the developing world,” Arabi added.