THE Federal Government has fixed February 17 as the deadline for civil servants to validate their identity on the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).
The deadline was contained in a memo issued by the Office of the Accountant- General of the Federation.
“Following the Treasury Circular with Ref. No. TRY/A6&B6/2024-OAGF/ CAD/026/Vol. V/910 dated 27th June, 2024 on the above subject matter and subsequent extension dated 16 August, 2024, I am directed to inform you that the AGF has approved the extension of the OAF-IPPIS Payroll Validation Portal by an additional one week (10 – 17” February, 2025)”, the memo read.
“The portal will be deployed and made accessible to those employees who were unable to complete their validation before the end of the earlier deadline. Visit OAF website: www.oagf.gov.ng and access the portal”, it further said.
“It is hereby emphasised that all employees concerned are expected to conclude the update of their payroll information on or before 12 midnight of Monday, February 17, 2025.”
“Please note that officers who fail to avail themselves of this last opportunity may suffer some consequences which may include suspension from the payroll.”
“Accounting officers, directors/heads of finance & account and internal audit units of MDAs and other arms of government are enjoined to give this circular the widest circulation it deserves and ensure compliance.”
It would be recalled that in June 2024, Folasade Yemi-Esan, former head of the Civil Service of the Federation, revealed that some workers who relocated abroad were still on government payroll.
Days later, President Bola Tinubu ordrered that civil servants who relocated abroad but still drawing salaries from federal coffers must refund the money. “The culprits must be made to refund the money they have fraudulently collected. Their supervisors and department heads must also be punished for aiding and abetting the fraud under their watch,” Tinubu said.
The president added that the Nigerian civil service should not be just a workplace where ‘anything is possible’, with workers violating rules without the fear of punishment or repercussions.
…Minimum Wage: Workers Decry Reduced Salaries
Meanwhile, many federal civil servants are lamenting over the reduction in their January salary amid lopsided implementation of the new minimum wage. The workers, who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), yesterday, in Abuja, complained that their January salaries did not reflect the minimum wage. A civil servant, Mr. Paul Okor, said that it was disheartening that the new minimum wage had not resulted in a considerable increase in the salaries of the workers, even in the midst of high inflation.
“We were hopeful when the new minimum wage was announced, thinking it would ease our struggles.
“But in January, not only did we not get the promised wage, we received only half of our salaries. “How are we supposed to survive like this? Rent, school fees, and daily expenses do not wait. It feels like the government is playing with our lives,” he said
According to Ibrahim Yusuf, the situation is a clear violation of the minimum wage agreement.
Yusuf said that civil servants were demoralised, a situation that could affect productivity across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
“The well-being of workers is deteriorating. They cannot meet basic needs, and many are sinking into debt.
“The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has issued multiple warnings, but some state governments continue to default on implementation of the new minimum wage, we demand immediate action to correct this injustice,” he said.
Mrs. Rakiya Isah queried the format for implementing the minimum wage. Isah said that the implementation of the new minimum wage appeared to be shrouded in secrecy.
“Was there really an increase in minimum wage? I was already adjusting to my enhanced salary package only to see a decrease in January, what is happening?
“How do I survive with six children in this economy? I want to appeal to the unions to look into this, we must not keep quiet on this.
“After the removal of fuel subsidy, I expected a higher minimum wage, but we are given less, and they give us anything that comes to their mind,” she said. She called for better communication between the Federal Government and its employees. Mrs. Ese Williams urged the Federal Government to address the lopsided implementation of the new minimum wage, which had resulted in some workers earning less than before.
“Things are so expensive now. Transportation costs, high electricity tariff, cost of living generally.
“We were surprised to see the meagre salaries we received in January. It was a far cry from what we were expecting, and something should be done about it,” she said. She said that going by current economic realities, the average civil servant was already finding it difficult to survive.
She also urged the Federal Government to revisit the issue of income tax, which had also placed a huge burden on the finances of the civil servants.
“Imagine a level 15 officer with a monthly salary of less than N400,000 paying about N60,000 tax. That is prohibitive,” she said.
Mr. Joseph Edeh, expressed concern over his meagre take home after the purported implementation of the new minimum wage.
According to Edeh, the civil servants appear to be at the receiving end of the harsh realities of government’s fiscal reforms. “The civil servants are not being fairly treated with the unclear implementation of the new minimum wage. I have not seen any real implementation of the minimum wage.
” In December, 2024 we saw N40,000 added to the salaries across board; is that how to implement minimum wage? “The salary is the only source of income for civil servants, and I want to urge the labour unions to wade into this minimum wage confusion because civil servants are being shortcganged,” he said.
Edeh urged the Federal Government to also consider paying severance packages for retiring civil servants, similar to what the politicians get.
“The politicians spend just four years and walk away with huge severance packages. The civil servants, as the major drivers of the economy deserve much better, ” he said.
Dr Chinedu Okafor, a Public Policy Analyst, said that the inconsistency in salary payments, in spite of the new minimum wage, highlighted deeper structural issues in Nigeria’s fiscal management. “When civil servants do not receive their full pay, it affects not just their financial stability but also their mental health and family well-being.
“This undermines trust in government institutions. Sustainable wage policies must be backed by responsible budgeting and financial transparency at both federal and state levels,” he said .
Some federal civil servants also expressed concern that some state governments were paying a higher minimum wage than the Federal Government.
