The federal government on Monday disclosed that hundreds of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) members failed Bank Verification Number (BVN) tests conducted on their accounts.
The Accountant-General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris, said this in a statement on the controversy generated by the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).
The rejoinder followed reports on claims that his office was deducting ASUU salaries and allowances.
Idris noted that the IPPIS platform does not recognize joint accounts operated by two or more persons.
“Every salary payment is personal. BVN as a way of confirming all account numbers of the tertiary institutions that are sent to IPPIS were forwarded to the relevant agencies for validation and confirmation. About 1,180 failed the BVN test and details have been forwarded to the universities for the necessary correction and update.”
On the alleged payment to dead university staff, Idris said it confirmed that institutions deliberately forwarded to IPPIS the list containing dead ASUU members as being part of their personnel, to get more personnel funds.
“When the President directed that ASUU be paid, the OAGF sent a letter, through the NUC Executive Secretary, requesting for the list of ASUU members through their VCs. We run the BVN test on the list forwarded to us as we are aware that we cannot use the old nominal roll because of changes that might have likely taken place.”
Idris said it was the responsibility of the institutions or agencies to inform the IPPIS office about death, resignation or exit from service before the due date.
He recalled that the government sent payroll analysis to the tertiary institution bursars for review of any omission or names to be excluded.
“This issue is a cheap propaganda by ASUU to denigrate IPPIS for obvious reasons. Mention must be made here that good spirited members of the union personally wrote to inform this office of their not being entitled to February salary payment and requested for an account to refund the salary,” the statement added.
