The Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF) has introduced stricter verification and approval procedures for enrolling newly recruited employees into the Federal Government payroll as part of efforts to strengthen accountability, prevent irregular payments and improve personnel records management.
Under the new directive, no newly recruited federal employee will be admitted into the government payroll without first being captured on the nominal roll of the relevant Ministry, Department or Agency (MDA) and satisfying all prescribed documentation, validation and eligibility requirements.
The new measures also place greater responsibility on MDAs to verify and account for their personnel records and budgetary allocations, with officers involved in processing and approving payroll admissions facing accountability measures for any breach of established procedures.
The OAGF disclosed this in a statement announcing the re-engineering of payroll processes under the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS).
According to the Office, the reforms are designed to enhance transparency, efficiency and accountability in the management of the Federal Government’s personnel records and payroll operations.
Under the revised arrangement, MDAs, as budget owners, are expected to assume greater responsibility for managing their personnel budgets and maintaining accurate nominal rolls.
Consequently, any MDA seeking to enrol newly recruited employees into the Federal Government payroll must formally submit an application to the OAGF, supported by relevant recruitment approvals, appointment letters, applicable waivers and other necessary documentation.
The Office explained that all submitted documents and employee records would undergo comprehensive verification before approval is granted.
The verification exercise will cover employees’ personal and employment information, including salary structures, grade levels, steps, allowances and other financial entitlements, to ensure that payroll entries accurately reflect approved employment conditions.
The process will also extend to statutory employee information, including Pension Fund Administrator (PFA) details, pension identification numbers, National Housing Fund (NHF) registration and tax records.
The OAGF said the additional checks were intended to ensure accurate statutory deductions and timely remittances, while strengthening the integrity of personnel information captured on the Federal Government payroll.
Following the initial verification by the OAGF, the records of prospective employees will be forwarded to the relevant MDAs for further scrutiny and confirmation.
The records must subsequently receive endorsements from the Accounting Officer, Director of Human Resources, Director of Finance and Accounts, and designated Payroll Validating Officer before being returned to the OAGF for final processing.
Final admission into the Federal Government payroll will, however, depend on the successful completion of all validation procedures and the approval of the Accountant-General of the Federation.
The Office further warned that employee records containing incomplete documentation, inconsistencies or unresolved discrepancies would not be processed for payroll admission until the outstanding requirements had been satisfactorily addressed.
It directed Permanent Secretaries, Heads of Agencies and other relevant officials to ensure strict compliance with the revised procedures, stressing that responsibility for payroll integrity would extend to officers involved in the processing, verification and approval of new employee admissions.
“Officers found to have breached the applicable rules and regulations in the course of payroll admissions will be held accountable”, the Office stated.
The directive takes immediate effect and applies to all ongoing and subsequent processes for enrolling newly recruited Federal Government employees into the payroll.
The latest measures represent an additional layer of administrative control over federal personnel expenditure, particularly in ensuring that only duly recruited, properly documented and verified employees receive salaries through the government payroll.
The reforms also reinforce the responsibility of MDAs to maintain credible personnel records and ensure that their workforce numbers and associated financial obligations are consistent with approved recruitment arrangements and budgetary provisions.
