By Miracle Ogunde
The federal government has set a deadline of February 17, 2025, for civil servants to complete their identity verification as part of efforts to eliminate ghost workers from the federal civil service.
A memo from the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, seen by reporters, outlined the deadline and the requirements for verification. Civil servants must confirm their identities on the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) portal or risk having their salaries halted, alongside other sanctions aimed at unregistered workers.
In response, civil servants have been rushing to obtain their Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) to meet the deadline. The verification process requires the TIN, an IPPIS number, and a salary account number.
The memo stated: “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 AGF has approved the extension of the OAF-IPPIS Payroll Validation Portal for an additional one week (10 – 17 February, 2025).
“The portal will be deployed and made accessible to those employees that 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 is hereby emphasised that all employees concerned are expected to conclude 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/Head 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.”
The government’s crackdown on payroll fraud follows President Bola Tinubu’s 2024 directive that civil servants who continued to draw salaries after relocating abroad must refund the payments. The President also ordered disciplinary action against supervisors and department heads who enabled such fraudulent practices.
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