By Gabriel Dike
The payment of double salary in June by the office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF) to federal polytechnic workers is generating ripples between the two parties.
While the polytechnic workers are suspicious of the payment and the manner it was allegedly withdrawn, the AGF insisted system error caused the double emoluments, which also automatically withdrew the salary into the appropriate account.
A fortnight ago, federal polytechnic staff received credit alert for June salary twice. Some reported the payment to their branch chairmen.
However, many claimed the money was withdrawn and the alert received showed individual names, and the polytechnic staff expressed concern about the payment of double salary.
Members of the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU), Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Polytechnics (SSANIP) and Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) confirmed to The Education Report that they received double salary in June and the payment was done through the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).
The workers faulted the manner the salary was withdrawn from their account and queried source of the alert they received, which showed individual names.
Investigations by The Education Report revealed that the double payment was not extended to staff of 51 federal universities. Many of the workers confirmed they received one credit alert for June.
One of the staff said: “Mine was reversed with the name Dangoma Kab. What is happening? I hope this money is not going to the private account that is earlier meant for just using as a passage.’’
Another stated: “Mine was Musa Isa narration. I hope someone is not using us to cash out.”
“Mine was debited from my account. Whose fault is this reversal again, would IPPIS say we are not willing to give back the money. I think we have tried to be obedient to the law and order of the land,’’ affected staff explained.
A female lecturer said: “I received debit alert and an individual called Uwugo Grace was the name in the description who debited my account.’’
ASUP president, Anderson Ezeibe, in a statement about the double salary saga, said: “I have followed the varied experience being reported as it affects the double payment and reversals associated with June salary in some federal polytechnics.
“Without doubt and as earlier reported, the IPPIS platform experienced some malfunction. Though a rare occurrence, reports of such malfunction in the recent past affecting other agencies of government abound.”
Ezeibe said what is expected of members is close monitoring and data collection, which will enable the union, identify deviations on a chapter-to-chapter basis.
He added: “We are expected to confirm occurrences of double payment, reversals and destination account of the reversals.
Establishment of these facts will enable us lodge complaints to our bursaries in an organised and verifiable manner.
“Remember to demand bank statement from complainants, as this is a more authentic document to support any misnomer in the process. Our due diligence in this regard is important as this may impact on the July salaries depending on our response to the current issue.”
In a swift reaction, the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF) cleared the air on the payment of double salary in June to polytechnic workers, describing it as a system error.
The Accountant General of Federation insisted that the double salary payment was not a fraudulent act as it was been insinuated in some quarters.
The Director of Press and Public Relations, Bawa Mokwa told Daily Sun that what happened was a system error, which has been corrected.
Many polytechnic staff were on Friday paid double salary in June through the IPPIS, which led to suspicion of fraudulent act.
Some Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) claimed the reserved salary rather paid into individual accounts fuelling the suspicion of a fraudulent act.
Mokwa said: “The payment was an automatic transaction. When the error was detected, it started automatic reversal. The process has been corrected. All the staff that got double salary has been reversed.
“It is an error that has been corrected. The reversal is automatic. It was not a fraudulent transaction.’’
On the allegation that the reversal was done into individual account, the image-maker of AGF debunked the insinuations, stating, ‘’the reversal was done into IPPIS account.
Mokwa challenged the polytechnic workers to forward the alerts they received to enable the IPPIS office carry out an investigation. He said the investigations would not take more than 30 minutes.
Recalled that ASUU and other sister unions in the tertiary institutions have kicked against the use of IPPIS to pay salaries of members. The payment platform was part of the reasons ASUU embarked on eight-month national strike.