The Federal Government in its effort to eliminate ghost workers from the payroll has set February 17, 2025, as the final deadline for civil servants to complete their identity verification.
This directive was outlined in a memo from the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, which was obtained by our correspondent on Saturday. Civil servants are required to verify their identities through the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) portal, with non-compliance potentially leading to salary suspension and other penalties.
It was gathered that many civil servants have been rushing to obtain their Taxpayers Identification Number (TIN) in order to meet the verification deadline. Alongside the TIN, employees must also provide their IPPIS number and salary account details for successful verification.
The memo stated, “Following the Treasury Circular with Ref. No. TRY/A6&B6/2024-OAGF/CAD/026/Vol. V/910 dated 27th June 2024, and the subsequent extension dated 16 August 2024, the Accountant-General has approved an additional one-week extension for the OAF-IPPIS Payroll Validation Portal, from February 10 to February 17, 2025.”
“The portal will be accessible to employees who were unable to complete their verification before the initial deadline. It can be accessed via the Office of the Accountant-General’s website at www.oagf.gov.ng.”
The memo further emphasized that “all affected employees must complete the update of their payroll information by midnight on Monday, February 17, 2025. Those who fail to comply may face consequences, including suspension from the payroll.”
Accounting Officers, Directors, and Heads of Finance and Audit Units across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) have been urged to ensure the widest dissemination of the directive and strict compliance.
In 2024, President Bola Tinubu ordered civil servants receiving salaries from the Federal Government while residing abroad to refund the funds. He also directed that their supervisors and department heads be held accountable for facilitating the fraud.