IPPIS system has saved FG N160Bn, says A. G of the federation

By Chris Alu

Jonah Otunla, accountant general of the Federation, yesterday said the introduction of the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System in the public sector has saved the Federal Government the sum of N160bn in personnel costs.

The IPPIS scheme is one of the Federal Government’s reform initiatives that facilitates planning, aid budgeting, monitoring monthly payment of staff emoluments against what was provided for in the budget; updating and retrieval of personnel records for administrative and pension processes.

Otunla while speaking at the opening session of the Mandatory Continuing Professional Development Program of the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria in Abuja said the figure was the total

amount saved as at the end of December 2013. The event, which is a bi-monthly training programme designed for ANAN members’ continued professional relevance in skills acquisition had as

its theme “Trends in professional practice and regulation.” Speaking at the event, Otunla said the N160bn in personnel costs was saved through the elimination of ghosts workers in Ministries,

Departments and Agencies of government. This, he said, was made possible owing to some of the reforms which the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation had embarked

upon in recent times. He listed some of them as the Government Integrated Financial

Management Information System which had helped to link all government accounts thus ensuring better management of government budget, and the introduction of the International Public Sector Accounting Standards which had helped to ensure uniformity in government accounting

records. Represented by the Director, Finance and Account, Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, Mrs. Fatima Mede, he said, “We have been embarking on series of reforms and as you are aware, we have the IPSAS which makes sure there is uniformity in all records and the

way we keep our records so that we can have transparency. “We also have IPPIS which has helped save personnel cost. Infact as at December 2013 we have saved about N160bn.”

Also speaking at the event, Alhaji Sakirudeen Labode, president of ANAN urged members of the association to abide by the ethics of the profession by familiarizing themselves with the new code of ethics for professional accountants.