The delay in the salaries of Nigerian military personnel was due to the unexpected lockdown in the country over the coronavirus pandemic, the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation has explained.
The office on Sunday said the lockdown led to late submission of variations by the agencies concerned.
In a statement signed by its spokesperson, Henshaw Ogubike, the office, however, said it has made the payment.
It said its Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) Department, on Friday, May 8, confirmed the payment.
The Federal Government has completed the payment of the April 2020 salaries of Armed Forces personnel in the country.
The Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) Department in the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation confirmed that as at Friday 8th May, 2020, the Armed Forces personnel had been paid.
According to the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) Office, the delay in the salary payment was due to the unexpected lockdown in the country which led to late submission of variations by the Agencies concerned and the need to accommodate their inputs in the April payroll accordingly.
This explanation became necessary in view of a Newspaper report which alleged that the April 2020 salaries of military and paramilitary personnel was delayed as a result of incapability and inexperience of the operators of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).
As mentioned in the newspaper report, officials of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) had given assurance that the salaries would be paid between 4th and 8th May, 2020. This was promptly carried out as noted earlier.
The Vanguard Newspaper published that news report without cross checking facts or contacting the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) at all for update on the issue, deliberately misinforming and misleading the public with a view to achieving an unholy objective.
Such report has the potency to incite the Armed Forces and the general public against the operations of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).
Suffice it to state that staff of the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) and the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) are competent professionals who have demonstrated the will and capacity to get the job done in line with the presidential directives, despite distractions and opposition from some quarters whose objectives is to sabotage the government policy that has saved the nation over N361 billion.
Henshaw Ogubike
Director (Information, Press and Public Relations)
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