FG sets Dec.31 deadline for ministries, agencies on implementation of new payroll system

By The Citizen

President Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, directed Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs, to fully adopt the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) by December 31, 2013.

This was disclosed by the Head of Service of the Federation, Alhaji Bukar Aji, at a workshop on gap analysis for human resources in the implementation of IPPIS.

Alhaji Aji further stated that after critical assessment and consultations with stakeholders, including specialised and tertiary institutions, the concerns and peculiarities of their operations were being addressed through proper configuration and customization of the IPPIS software to accommodate identifiable deficiencies.

He said: 'Arising from the identified needs of the specialized institutions, my office and the office of the Accountant-General of Federation, as well as the Budget Office are engaging the resistant institutions in robust discussions to ensure full implementation of the IPPIS.'

To stress the importance attached to the implementation of the scheme, Aji stated that a secretariat on the implementation of IPPIS had been established in his office, adding that MDAs had been directed to establish IPPIS desk units to be headed by assistant directors to handle all issues relating to the scheme.

The civil service boss further stated that the Federal Government attached importance to issues that would reduce redundancy, wastage and imprudence in financial management to lift the critical infrastructure sector of the economy.

He added that: 'The efforts made in improving accountability and strengthening transparency in government business activity is a task that all of us present here today must emphasize, nurture and implement.

'This is because the Nigeria Civil Service in all tiers of governance is increasingly under pressure to efficiently and effectively improve the quality and speed of public service delivery'.

In his own remarks on the occasion, Dr. Ezekiel Oyemomi, a Permanent Secretary in charge of Career Management Office at the Office of the Head of Service, gave an insight into the origin of the IPPIS scheme.

Said he : ' The IPPIS scheme is one of the Federal Government's reform initiatives designed to undertake human resource management activities from recruitment to separation including payroll and pension processing.

'Its objectives amongst others are to facilitate planning, aid budgeting, monitor monthly payment of staff emoluments against what was provided for in the budget; ensure database integrity; facilitate easy storage; updating and retrieval of personnel records for administrative and pension processes; and provision of a good working environment that is conducive and supportive to the operations of a modern proactive public service which is innovative and technologically driven.'

The Federal Government has saved the sum of N119 billion through the adoption of the scheme.