TheCable

The office of the accountant-general of the federation (OAGF) says the April salaries of military personnel were delayed because of the “unexpected lockdown in the country.”

President Muhammadu Buhari had ordered a lockdown of the federal capital territory (FCT), Lagos and Ogun to check the spread of coronavirus.

In a statement on Sunday, Henshaw Ogubike, director of press, said reports that the delay was caused by the non-capability of operators of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) are false.

Ogubike said such reports could incite the military and the public against the IPPIS.

“The Federal Government has completed the payment of the April 2020 salaries of Armed Forces personnel in the country,” he said.

“The Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) Department in the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation confirmed that as at Friday 8th May, 2020, the Armed Forces personnel had been paid.

“According to the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) Office, the delay in the salary payment was due to the unexpected lockdown in the country which led to late submission of variations by the Agencies concerned and the need to accommodate their inputs in the April payroll accordingly.

“Such reports have the potency to incite the Armed Forces and the general public against the operations of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).”

Ogubike said the IPPIS has so far saved the country over N361 billion.