FG Tightens Payroll Rules, blocks Unverified Enrolments

The Federal Government has introduced stricter verification requirements for newly recruited civil servants, directing that no employee should be admitted into the federal payroll without completing mandatory documentation and eligibility checks.

The new directive, which takes immediate effect, is part of reforms to the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System aimed at strengthening accountability, preventing irregular payroll admissions and improving the management of government personnel expenditure.

The Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation disclosed this in a statement issued on Monday by its Director of Press and Public Relations, Bawa Mokwa.

The statement read, “Henceforth, no newly recruited employee shall be enrolled without first being captured on the nominal roll of the relevant MDA and satisfying all prescribed validation and eligibility requirements.”

According to the OAGF, the revised procedures will require Ministries, Departments and Agencies to take greater responsibility for managing their personnel budgets and maintaining accurate records of employees.

Under the arrangement, government institutions seeking to enrol newly recruited workers must formally submit requests to the OAGF, accompanied by recruitment approvals, appointment letters, applicable waivers and other supporting documents.

The office explained that the documents would undergo verification alongside employee records, salary structures, grade levels, steps, allowances and other financial entitlements before payroll admission could be approved.

The additional checks are intended to ensure that only properly documented and eligible employees are included in the government’s salary payment system.

The OAGF stated, “The validation process will also cover statutory details, including Pension Fund Administrator information, pension identification numbers, National Housing Fund registration and tax records to ensure accurate deductions and timely remittances.”

Following the initial verification, employee records will be returned to the relevant ministry, department or agency for further confirmation.

The Accounting Officer, Director of Human Resources, Director of Finance and Accounts, and designated Payroll Validating Officer must endorse the records before they are submitted to the OAGF for final processing.

The statement explained that the Accountant-General of the Federation would retain final approval authority over the admission of newly recruited employees into the payroll.

It stated, “Final admission into the Federal Government payroll will be subject to satisfactory completion of all validation procedures and the approval of the Accountant-General of the Federation.”

The directive introduces multiple levels of verification involving both the employing institution and the central payroll authority, with officials required to confirm the accuracy of recruitment and salary information.

The OAGF also warned that applications containing incomplete documentation or discrepancies would not be processed until the identified problems had been resolved.

“Any employee record with incomplete documentation or unresolved discrepancies will be deferred from payroll admission until all prescribed conditions are fulfilled,” the statement added.

The office further disclosed that officials responsible for processing and approving payroll admissions would be held accountable for violations of the applicable regulations.

Permanent Secretaries, Heads of Agencies and other relevant government officials have consequently been directed to ensure strict compliance with the revised requirements.

The measures apply to all ongoing and subsequent payroll admission processes involving newly recruited federal employees.

The OAGF said the reforms formed part of a broader re-engineering of IPPIS processes to improve transparency, efficiency and accountability in personnel management.

The directive also places greater responsibility on individual MDAs to ensure that their nominal rolls correspond with approved recruitment records and personnel budgets.