Mohammed Bello Faults IPPIS, Alleges Overpayment By Accountant-General

Bello alleged that there have been many instances where his salaries were either overpaid or underpaid.

This anomaly in the IPPIS management was highlighted yesterday by the Chairman Joint Unions Action Committee (JUAC) FCTA/FCDA, Mr. Korede Matilukuro, when he briefed the workers on the outcome of the meeting with management to look into their 17-point demands on welfare following the expiration of their three-day warning strike.

Matilukuro said that Bello, who chaired the meeting on Monday, agreed with the union on the need for them to manage their own salary on the FCT platform because he (Bello) had also been overpaid or underpaid by the IPPIS and has had reasons to return the excess to the Office of the AGF.

He said: “On our call to be removed from the IPPIS, the minister also acknowledged that he is sometimes overpaid. He has subsequently directed the Permanent Secretary to call on the stakeholders and approach the consultants to domesticate the IPPIS for the FCT, which means we will manage our salaries on the platform and not the AGF.”

He noted that the minister has assured the union of his commitment to set up the necessary structure that would entrench the implementation of the FCT Civil Service Commission, while promising to appoint administrative secretaries and commissioners between now and when the budget is approved.

Concessions were also made to workers on promotion arrears, staff pension deduction, National Housing Fund contribution, minimum wage and casualisation of workers by some FCT agencies.

On the report by the union for the call for the removal of the current Permanent Secretary of the FCTA, Mr. Olusade Adesola, the chairman of the JUAC reiterated that the union has no problem with the permanent secretary.

He, however, noted that the implementation of the FCT Civil Service Commission would have some implications, which might affect the office of the permanent secretary.

He added that in line with the agreement reached on Monday, Adesola will be the last permanent secretary to the FCT while he works together with the union and management to establish the commission.

The union subsequently put the warning strike on hold while threatening to resuscitate it within the next two months if the management reneges on the agreement.