The Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF) has announced stricter documentation and verification requirements for newly recruited federal workers seeking payroll enrolment, according to Channels Television and PUNCH.
Their accounts of a statement issued on Monday, November 2, say the directive takes immediate effect and covers ongoing and subsequent applications involving newly recruited employees.
The reports identify Bawa Mokwa, OAGF’s Director of Press and Public Relations, as the statement’s signatory.
Appointment records required
Under the reported procedure, workers must first appear on the staff list, known as the nominal roll, of their employing ministry, department or agency before enrolment in the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS).
Employing agencies must formally submit payroll-admission requests with recruitment approvals, appointment letters, any required waivers and other supporting documents.
The checks cover salary structures, grade levels, salary steps, allowances and other financial entitlements. Pension details, National Housing Fund registration and tax records are also subject to validation.
Agencies must endorse records
According to Channels Television, OAGF will return records to the employing institution after its initial checks.
The institution’s Accounting Officer, Director of Human Resources, Director of Finance and Accounts, and designated Payroll Validating Officer must confirm and endorse the records before returning them for final processing.
Final admission depends on satisfactory completion of the checks and approval by the Accountant-General of the Federation.
The reported directive places greater responsibility on agencies to maintain accurate staff lists and account for their personnel budgets.
Incomplete records to be deferred
OAGF said records with incomplete documentation or unresolved discrepancies would be deferred until the requirements were met, according to the reports.
The reported instruction concerns payroll admission; it does not announce the dismissal of affected recruits.
The office also warned that officials processing and approving payroll entries would be held accountable for breaches of the applicable rules.
IDNN has not obtained the original statement directly or independently assessed implementation. The accounts reviewed do not specify a processing deadline or detailed procedure for correcting disputed records, and they do not establish savings from the revised checks.
