Business
Civil Servants Face Suspension Over Salary Padding
Some civil servants across several Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) have been suspended for alleged salary “padding”.
Some of those suspended are from the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) and an undisclosed institute.
The Tide source learnt that some civil servants connived with some officials in the OAGF to pad their salaries by manipulating the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS).
In one instance, an Assistant Director involved with the IPPIS unit of the RMAFC is under probe over salary padding.
The Assistant Director (AD), an IPPIS desk officer in charge of staff’ salary, was alleged to have connived with some staff of the OAGF to pad the salaries of unspecified number of lower level staff.
A source familiar with the incident said, “The AD in connivance with some staff are neck deep in the salary padding racket. The alarm blew up recently when a level 7 officer whose salary should be in the range of N60,000 was paid over N400,000, salary package of Director.
“What happened was, another colleague on same salary scale saw the pay slip of a female colleague with a net pay of over N400,000. Surprised, he tried to get details of the excess payment but was rebuffed.
“Following the cold attitude from his colleague, the aggrieved staff raised the alarm and a committee was set up to investigate the matter”.
The salary padding racket, the source learnt, has been on for a while among a small clique of civil servants in different MDAs with the IPPIS office in the OAGF as the epicentre.
Reacting to the development, the OAGF in a statement, said it is “in receipt of enquiries over alleged “salary padding” on the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) involving some unspecified Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDA).”
The OAGF noted “there is no evidence of “salary padding” before the OAGF at this time; however, the office is aware of reported breach of the IPPIS third party payment protocol at an Institute outside Abuja”.
It added: “The incident has since been reported to, and is being investigated by relevant anti-corruption, security and regulatory agencies.
“In the meantime, a staff suspected to be connected with the breach has been suspended to allow for thorough investigation.
“All necessary steps are being taken to strengthen the controls around the IPPIS payment platform and an independent forensic audit of the entire payroll system is underway to ascertain if the reported breach is isolated or widespread”.
Chairman of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) Mohammed Bello Shehu, confirmed to The Nation the commission has identified some culprits and placed them on suspension pending the investigation of the incidence.
He said some staff of the Commission were found to have manipulated the IPPIS system to pad their salaries above what they were supposed to earn.
Shehu said: “If the indicted officials are found culpable of the salary padding allegations, they will be handed over to the appropriate authorities for prosecution”.
MoniePoint Inc. a digital financial firm in Nigeria, has said it is empowering community pharmacists across the country with innovative payment solutions to improve access to drugs.
The financial firm said it had also provided loans for pharmacists under the aegis of the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) to drive healthcare delivery in the country.
MoniePoint in a release titled, “Inside Nigeria’s community pharmacies: How Moniepoint drives healthcare access with payments and funding”, has reaffirmed its commitment to providing digital payment solutions to improve health outcomes in Nigeria.
The release examined how community pharmacies play a crucial role as vital access points for medical care in Nigeria, especially in areas with limited hospital or clinic access.
According to the release, the ACPN National Chairman, Ambrose Igwekwam, highlighted the critical role played by community pharmacies in Nigeria’s healthcare system over the years.
Igwekwam, however, expressed concerns over the challenges confronting the nation’s pharmaceutical industry which he said was hindering access to affordable medicines.
The pharmacist listed poor infrastructural systems, power, transportation, regulatory bottlenecks, importation dependency, and limited research opportunities as major challenges facing the pharmaceutical sector.
He also stressed the need for robust collaborative efforts with institutions like Moniepoint to strengthen the sector.
“As Nigeria continues to grow, improving local pharma manufacturing to meet the demands of this growth presents a key opportunity for us all.
“There is also the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement, which is expected to boost our industry, especially when we start producing our drugs locally, which will provide the much needed foreign exchange from exports.
“We are also seeing advancements in digital health and technology which would hopefully deepen the practice of e-prescription in Nigeria”, the ACPN boss said.
Corlins Walter
In order to enhance customer service and streamline operations, the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN) has called on stakeholders in the insurance industry to embrace Artificial Intelligence (AI).
The President of the institute, Yetunde Ilori, made this call at the 2024 Office Representatives Committee (ORC) Workshop, organised by the institute, with the theme “AI and the Future of the Insurance Industry”, in Lagos.
Ilori at the event, emphasised the importance of AI adoption, noting that it was not a threat to jobs but rather a tool to improve efficiency across the insurance sector.
“It is not about AI taking over our jobs, but about us using AI to simplify processes and give maximum satisfaction to all the customers we serve whether as underwriters, brokers, loss adjusters, or in educating our members”, she said.
The workshop, which brought players in the insurance sector together, aimed to address how AI could be leveraged to transform business processes and improve customer interactions.
The Chairman of the ORC, Monica Nwachukwu, underscored the role of AI in modernising the industry, adding, “AI can automate customer and claims processes, allowing insurers to provide faster and more efficient services to their customers”.
She explained how AI could help extract data from legacy systems, enhancing decision-making processes.
“By integrating AI with APIs, insurers can feed valuable data into AI solutions to improve operations and customer service”, she added.
In his address, the Managing Partner of A4S and Training Heights, Orlando Odejide, stressed the need for companies to align their strategies with future technologies like AI, especially as they prepare for 2025.
“Any organisation that wants to grow into the future must have its strategic plan in place. If your strategy for 2025 is not ready, it should be done by October”, he advised.
He encouraged participants to think critically about how AI could be integrated into their business models to ensure they remain competitive.
“The idea is for you to use this workshop as a platform to think about your organization and how AI can help streamline your processes and improve growth”, Odejide noted.
In order to gain global respect and recognition, the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) has reaffirmed its determination to pursue its goal in ensuring that Nigeria’s space capabilities are recognised on the world stage.
The agency also reaffirmed its commitment to positioning Nigeria as a key player in the global space economy.
In a statement by the Director of Media and Corporate Communications, Dr. Felix Ale, NASRDA revealed that the Director-General of the agency, Matthew Adepoju, emphasised this during recent engagements at the 79th United Nations General Assembly and the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) and Global Alliance Business Association international conference in Michigan, United States.
The statement noted that Adepoju outlined a forward-thinking agenda, stressing the importance of Nigeria’s space programme as a leader in research, exploration, and technological innovation.
“Our goal is to ensure that Nigeria’s space capabilities are recognised on the world stage.
“We must foster collaborations with global space agencies to enhance our satellite capabilities and technological infrastructure”, he stated.
The NASRDA boss said the agency is focusing on enhancing satellite capabilities, expanding international collaborations, and leveraging space science for national development.
He said NASRDA will have no stone unturned in pursuit of excellence, ensuring the agency secures the necessary resources and recognition to propel it forward.
“The relationships we build today will pave the way for tomorrow’s advancements in space science.
“Innovation and progress thrive in an environment built on collaboration and inclusivity”, he stated.
He emphasised that with the support of the government, international partners, and a dedicated team, NASRDA is poised to make significant strides in the evolving global space landscape.
“We are on the brink of a new era for Nigeria’s space agency. Together, we will ensure our nation stands out in the global space economy”, he said.
Corlins Walter
