IPPlS Detects 70,000 Ghost Workers As FG Breaks ASUU’s Rank

• Finance Minister hints on budget review over Coronavirus

BY SALISU IBRAHIM, KANO – The Minister of Finance and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed, says no amount of pressure and arm-twisting from some stakeholders will stop the Federal Government’s resolve to block leakages in its revenue streams and sanitise public service expenditure processes in the country.

She said with about 55 per cent of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) members fully complying and registering under the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), government will not be responsible for the February salaries of all erring Lecturers

This is as the Minister also admits that a mid-term review of the 2020 budget will be carried to reflect the realities on ground because the outbreak of Coronavirus (Covid-19) has negatively impacted Nigeria’s oil revenue.

Speaking at a retreat organised by the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) for federal directors held in Kano, Ahmed explained that the IPPIS’ implementation has so far assisted government to detect and weed out over 70,000 ghost workers from its payroll.

The Minister said President Muhammadu Buhari’s unflinching support for the Treasury House and prudent financial management has remained key in achieving set goals of transparency, openness and prudence in the management of the nation’s resources in the last four and a half years of the administration.

Noting that the Finance Ministry and its agencies have never enjoyed such sound support from the Presidency like now, Mrs Ahmed said; “President Buhari has shown highest level of financial commitment in ensuring deepest financial prudent and management and the expectations is for all to give him maximum support for the nation to achieve more financial management.

“IPPIS is eliminating ghost workers and very soon the nation would be free of ghost workers and all criminal tendencies identified with public financial management” in the polity

According to the Minister, as the country fully implement the IPPIS in all the federal government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), it was important for the remaining ASUU members who were yet to register and comply with the system to do so in order to get their February salaries.

On Covid-19 outbreak, Mrs Ahmed said the epidemic has already affected Nigeria’s 2020 budget projections due to the current drop in global oil prices and a mid-term review would be undertaken to address the noticeable gaps.

She said the development has seen international oil price dropping to $52, below the budget benchmark of $57 per barrel, adding that it is already impacting negatively on the nation’s estimated revenue for the fiscal year.