From Noah Ebije, Kaduna
A Cooperative Societies Consultant and a Staff of Cooperative department, Kaduna Polytechnic, Usman A. Usman has called on the leadership of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) to remit backlog third party deductions from members of Polytechnics Cooperative Societies across the country in the last three months.
Usman noted that as at April 2023, a large number of Cooperative societies of polytechnics were yet to receive their monthly deductions of January, February and March 2023 from IPPIS, despite having deducted Cooperatives members’ monies.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Cooperative Consultant said several visits by leaders of Cooperative Societies to IPPIS office and Budget office of the federal ministry of finance, Abuja found that the non-remittance of their members’ monies was as a result of alleged shortfall in institutional budget.
He lamented that it has become the modus operandi of IPPIS to remit monies of Cooperative Societies very late after effecting deductions.
“This has made it difficult for Cooperative Societies to function optimally as they used to. And this is seen as scheming to take civil servants back to the dark old days of being at the mercy of banks stringent and high interest rate loans
“The pride of every reasonable functioning government is a complete and on time responsibility to the cry of its citizens. But in recent times, Nigerian government through its agents in the finance sector has done the contrary.
Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) has become a monster through which artificial pain and insecurity is meted at civil servants, thereby rendering them economically feeble in their quest to make ends meet through cooperative society.
“With the advent of the IPPIS, remittance of third party deductions of Cooperatives of tertiary institutions has become a tedious and complex procedure due to bureaucracy and sharp practices.
“As at April 2023, a large number of Cooperative societies of polytechnics were yet to receive their monthly deductions of January, February and March 2023 from IPPIS, despite having deducted Cooperatives members’ monies.
“Visits by leaders of Cooperative Societies to IPPIS office and Budget office of the federal ministry of finance Abuja found that the non-remittance of their members’ monies was as a result of alleged shortfall in institutional budget.
“It is noteworthy to state at this juncture that, it has almost become the modus operandi of IPPIS to often remit monies of Cooperative Societies a month or two months late after effecting deductions.
“With this unending dilemma Cooperative Societies in Nigerian tertiary institutions are grappling with from IPPIS, Cooperative Societies are demanding that third party deductions of their members be remitted to them, to enable them meet the needs of their members.
“Also, Cooperative Societies request that IPPIS officials saddle with the responsibility of effecting third party deductions, should utilize the means used for deductions to facilitate on time remittance of monies to Cooperative Societies.
“Also, Cooperative Societies would welcome from IPPIS or other groups any idea that will foster maximum productivity of Cooperatives in this trying time, as far as such has no negative effect on our already stretched liquidity.
“At the 106th NEC meeting of ASUP held in Abuja, the Union saw the continual delay in remittance of third party deduction to Cooperative Societies as a plan to impoverish its members and undermine the Union as the representative organ of polytechnic staff.
“I hereby call on stakeholders like;The Federal Director of Institute of Cooperative Professionals of Nigeria (ICOPRON), Cooperative Federation of Nigeria (CFN), Committee of Directors of Cooperatives and others should as a matter of urgency prevail on the government to do the needful.
“Continuous patience and support is highly needed to pull through this trying time and surely there will be light at the end of the tunnel when the storm is over”. The statement said.