By Milcah Tanimu
National President of the Association of Senior Civil Servants, Tommy Etim, revealed that the salaries of more than 2,000 civil servants in Federal Government ministries, departments, and agencies have been withheld for the month of November. Sources familiar with the matter indicated that the delay is linked to discrepancies discovered during the recent verification by the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation.
A senior civil servant from the Federal Ministry of Defence, speaking on condition of anonymity, highlighted that a significant number of employees in the ministry had not received their salaries. The delay is reportedly connected to issues identified in the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).
According to another senior civil servant in a top federal government agency, approximately 2,000 civil servants are affected due to failed verification on the IPPIS platform. The spokesperson for the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, Bawa Mokwa, clarified that not all civil servants are impacted, and salaries started dropping on Thursday last week.
The National President of the Association of Senior Civil Servants, Tommy Etim, stated that the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation is actively addressing the issues. He mentioned that salaries have been restored for those who completed their verification but were mistakenly delisted. However, discrepancies still exist for 5,000 civil servants related to their dates of first appointment and birth.
Etim further explained that 2,772 individuals have been verified and forwarded to IPPIS for payment without issues. The remaining 5,000 names with discrepancies are under review, and the affected workers are urged to check the Head of Service (HOS) website for updates. Although the November 2023 salaries are concluded for those with issues, efforts are being made to expedite the process and ensure timely payment for December, including arrears from September.
The Association of Senior Civil Servants appeals to the Federal Government, through the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, to take swift action to avoid further delays in the December salary payments.