FG Saves N100bn In 18 Months From Automated Staff Audit

DR YERIMA NGAMA, MINISTER OF STATE FOR FINANCE

SAN FRANCISCO, February 13, (THEWILL) - The Federal Government, Wednesday, disclosed that it has within a period of 18 months saved a whopping N100 billion that would have gone to ghost workers with the adoption of the automated staff audit.

Minister of State for Finance, Dr Yerima Ngama, who disclosed this, said with the adoption of  the  Integrated Payroll and Personal Information system, IPPIS, the 251 Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) under the Federal Government has turned up 45,000 ghost workers.

Speaking with State House Correspondents after the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan, the minister  said the IPPIS was initiated to enhance efficiency in personnel cost  planning and budgeting so as to peg the cost of such on actual verified number  and not estimates.

He maintained that  the exercise  so far carried out has saved the country N100 billion in the last 18 months.

He said the Federal Government has so far conducted staff audit  in 215 MDAs and  audited 153,019 staff as at January, 2013 while 321 MDAs are yet to be verified and put on the IPPIS system.

The minister  said in its effort to stabilise the economy and control expenditure, the government has also established the Treasury Single Account as a unified structure of government bank account that gives a consolidated view of the cash position

Ngama said his ministry is tasked with the efficient micro economic management, mobilisation of fund for the real sector development and  introduction of structural reforms that will enhance creation of jobs.

Ngama stated that it also has responsibility for fiscal consolidation, budget composition,  increase revenue generation and the building of buffers to take care of financial crises

He noted that the ministry for the first time broke the jinx surrounding late preparation of budget as the 2013  budget was presented at a record time, in September, 2012 and that there were only few challenges to consider before it will be signed into law.


He added  that the Federal Government has plans to increase capital expenditure to 60 percent and reduce recurrent expenditure to 40 percent