By OKON OKON

The Federal Government says it has concluded the verification of 69,854 core civil servants receiving salaries under the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS).

The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HOCSF), Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan, stated this on Tuesday in Abuja, during a news conference, to commence the 2023 Civil Service Week.

Yemi-Esan said her office had been working towards the implementation of Human Resource Module of IPPIS with a view to bridging the identified gaps in the system.

According to her, the investigation of 3,657 officers by ICPC for not being present for verification audit; and completion of verification exercise for 3,465 officers recruited from 2017 to 2019 and those absorbed into the mainstream is ongoing.

“As you are aware, prior to the introduction of the current mechanisms put in place to

drive the implementation of the IPPIS, the system was bedeviled with considerable leakages and wastes as well as the incessant infiltration of ghost workers among others. “

In addition, the HOS said her office had also begun the verification of non-core MDAs by registering about 205,411 officers in those MDAs.

“We have also started to work on the non-core MDAs and so far we have registered about 205,411 officers that are not core civil servants that is officers that work in agencies and parastatals of government.

“The next step is that we will go ahead and verify these officers to ensure that all the documents are correct and then we move them into the IPPIS for salaries.

She added that the exercise would be concluded by 2024.

Speaking on workers’ salaries, the HOS assured the civil servants of the Federal Government’s determination to review and harmonize the salaries of workers in the service.

According to her, the Presidential Committee on Salary Harmonization is already on course, working to review salaries to reduce the disparities among the Nigerian workers.

She said the pensioners were not left out in the arrangements of pension structure to meet with the presence economy realities by the retirees in the country.

The HOS announce that the Annual Performance Evaluation Report (APER) system, would no longer be the criteria to assess civil Servants’ performance for promotion beginning from 2024.

She said government was working assiduously to ensure the full implementation of Performance Management System (PMS) in replacement of APER to assess civil servants.

“The concept is not new to government. As you are aware, performance contracts and agreements were being used by government before now.

“Also, some agencies of government have begun implementing an ideal PMS and are at different stages of evolution.

The HOS also said that the Federal Government would use the service week to announce the new Public Service Rule to guide all the civil servants in the country.

Yemi-Esan thanked President Bola Tinubu for his concern for the welfare of workers and for his determination to deliver a living wage to civil servants in line with the renewed hope agenda of his administration.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that other programmes to mark the 2023 Civil Service Week are; Public Service Lecture on Thursday, July 27, 2023 at Conference Centre, State House, Abuja by10.00am, Juma’ah Prayer on Friday July 28 at the National Mosque by 2:00 p.m.

Others are Aerobics and Sports at the National Stadium on Saturday July 29 by 6:00 a. m., while Gala/Award Nite will take place at Conference Centre, State House, Abuja at 6:00 p. m., and Church Service at Exousia Church, beside Zeus Hotel, Mabushi in Abuja. (NAN)

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