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Tag: Ahmed Idris

  • Labour strike will deny workers their salaries, warns AGF

    The Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF), Mr Ahmed Idris has warned that continued labour unrest in the country would deny workers their salaries.

    According to a statement issued last night and signed by Ifeanyi Okereke, Head of Press and Public Relations (OAGF), Mr. Ahmed Idris said that “The payment of salaries cannot be achieved in an atmosphere where the critical stakeholders are not allowed access to their offices.”

    The AGF noted that “Salary payment involves a number of processes that do not begin and end with the OAGF. There are other critical stakeholders like the Cash Management Department in Ministry of Finance and others who are supposed to do their beat before we can finalize.”

    “We have a standing order from Mr. President to pay workers’ salaries from the 25th of every month, which we have striven hard to fulfill to Nigerian workers  and this month will not be an exception” maintained the AGF.

    Ahmed Idris stated that, “On coming to the office this morning (Thursday) we met the gates of the office locked and wondered how we can keep this promise if we are being locked out of the office.  After speaking with the local arm of the Labour in the office on the need to pay salaries, they conceded to allow me and some of my staff in but the Gates are still locked. I therefore appeal to labour to open our gates so that we can have unhindered access to meet their needs”.

    Read Also: Labour strike: There is total compliance – NLC

    The AGF further appealed to the National Leadership of Labour to reconsider their stand on the on-going strike saying that the Federal Government under President Muhammadu Buhari more than ever has demonstrated high commitment towards meeting the welfare of the Nigerian Workers.

    Mr Idris therefore urged Labour to trust President Muhammadu Buhari “and return to the path of discussion, and negotiation, as the President has demonstrated enough commitment by setting up the tripartite committee.  The  committee which is headed by Ms Amal Pepple is saddled with the responsibility of consulting widely with stakeholders with a view to coming up with a realistic and acceptable minimum wage.”

    He further cautioned that “we are all working for the same system and we should do nothing  that could threaten the economy and lead to the collapse of the same system”

    It will be recalled that the AGF had at the end of the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee meeting (FAAC), on Wednesday 26th September, promised that salaries of Federal Government Workers  will be paid.

  • AGF vows to fully implement Public Finance reforms

    The Accountant-General of the Federation, Mr. Ahmed Idris has expressed the commitment of the Treasury under his leadership to fully implement all the Public Finance Management (PFM) reforms, particularly the integrated personnel payment Information system, (IPPIS) as directed by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Idris Ahmed made this disclosure when he received the National Coordinator and Chief Executive officer of SERVICOM, Mrs. Nnenna Akajemeli and the management Team of SERVICOM at his office in Abuja.

    Idris emphasized that “our implementation of the public finance management (PFM) reforms; IPPIS, TSA, GIFMIS and IPSAS just to mention a few, which is largely  being driven by information and communication technology (ICT), is a clear demonstration of our commitment to efficiency, effectiveness and transparency in delivering service in line with international best practice”

    Responding to allegations being faced by the office on the enrollement of the Nigeria police force on the IPPIS platform, the AGF stated that  “on that IPPIS, we have presently, about 480 MDAs and over 685,000 personnel being paid without hitches or complaints, why will it be only the police that are complaining?

    Read Also: AGF seeks amendment to maritime laws

    The AGF explained that “since the Nigeria police just migrated their salaries to the IPPIS platform, and given their numerical strength and other peculiarities associated with the Nigerian police, there are bound to be some challenges. These challenges are being resolved through the multiple help desks established in the Treasury and other police commands across the nation”.

    Furthermore on the issue of shotfalls in payments, the AGF explained that these may not be unconnected with the number of statutory deductions which are on the plaform, such as the National Housing Fund, (NHF) which is 2.5% of basic, and tax which is also calculated according to one’s earnings, but were previously not properly deducted.

    Mr. Idris reassured Nigerians, especially those working in the public service, of the commitment of the Treasury to partner with all stakeholders to actualize a seamless implementation of the IPPIS and further said that plans are being completed to commence migration of  the military in the IPPIS plaform. He therfore called for the understanding and corporation of all stakeholders to improve public finance management in the country.

    Earlier in her address, the SERVICOM Coordiantor, Mrs. Akajemeila expressed satisfaction with the activities of the Accountant-General of the Federation in the discharge of his duties.

    “We want to appreciate and commend you for the timely release of funds and salaries and for the good job you are doing to entrench transparency and accountability in the runing of government business” She said.

    “We also appreciate all the reforms which you are implementing and we attest that they  are in line with the SERVICOM principles and practices, transaprency, improved efficiency, service delivery and value for money” the SERVICOM Coordinator maintained.

    Mrs. Akajemelia further revealed that in view of the observations they have made as they monitor service delivery in the MDAs,  SERVICOM intends to institute a reward system for all MDAs that excel in delivering service for the Nigerian people.

    According to her, SERVICOM will soon make public the criteria for the awards and urged all public officers to ensure that true service to the people remains their guiding principle.

  • FG, States, LGAs share N626.82bn in April

    The three tiers of government on Thursday shared N626.82 billion as monthly allocations for April.

    This represents statutory allocation, Value Added Tax (VAT) and foreign exchange equalization for the month.

    Addressing journalists at the end of the rescheduled Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) meeting, the Accountant-General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris, said the figure was N20 billion lower than the N647.39 billion shared by the three tiers of government in March.

    Speaking on Wednesday’s postponement of the meeting, the AGF said FAAC members rejected the revenue figures declared by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

    He said there was ongoing reconciliation of the Corporation’s revenue figures for February.

    Idris also disclosed that the Excess Crude Account (ECA) dipped from $2.3 billion to $1.830 billion after $496 million had been withdrawn for the purchase of Tucano military jets from United States.

    At the end of the meeting, the Federal Government received N263.102 billion, while state governments went home with N167.511 billion and local government councils got N126.293 billion.

    N54.518 billion was shared as 13 per cent mineral revenue to oil producing states, while N15.402 billion was given to Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).

     

     

  • Finance ministry denies paying Maina salary after disengagement

    Finance ministry denies paying Maina salary after disengagement

    The Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, on Thursday said the former Chairman, Pension Reform Task Force, Alhaji Abdulrasheed Maina, did not receive salary from government after his disengagement.

    Adeosun said this in Abuja when she appeared before members of House of Representatives Ad hoc Committee investigating the disappearance, re-appearance, re-instatement and promotion of Maina.

    She said that from the records of the ministry, there was no trace of any payment of salary to Maina after he was disengaged from service in 2013.

    “We have looked very well and we have no biometrics of Maina, so there is no way he could have received salaries,” Adeosun said.

    In his submission, the Accountant-General of the Federation, Mr Ahmed Idris, said that Maina was last paid salary in February, 2013.

    According to Idris, from March, he was removed from the payroll so I don’t know where he was receiving the salary.

    “If there was any payment of salary to Maina, there should be payslips and an account the payments were made; so, let whoever made the claim tender them to support the claim,” Idris said.

    Counsel to Maina, Mr Muhammadu Kuta, had while before the committee on Nov. 23 claimed that his client received salary up to October, 2017.

    According to Kuta, assignments were still being given to him to execute for the Federal Government even as at last month and he was getting his salary.

    NAN

  • ‘FG saves N120bn by checking ghost workers, personnel costs’

    ‘FG saves N120bn by checking ghost workers, personnel costs’

    The Federal Government ( FG ) on Tuesday put the cumulative savings from checking the ghost workers’ syndrome through the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System ( IPPIS ) at N120 billion

    Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), Mr Ahmed Idris, said this in Abuja in a presentation on the impact of financial reforms on the Nigerian economy, at the 22nd Annual Conference of Certified National Accountants.

    The three-day conference, with the theme “Sustainable Economic Management in a Recession: Issues, Strategies and Options”, was organised by the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria ( ANAN ).

    Idris said that the savings spanned across 10 years, from April 2007 when IPPIS became operational till date.

    He said the saving was not limited to detecting ghost workers, as excess personnel cost that had been channeled to non-personnel sub-heads by Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) were also recovered.

    “From April 2007 when the scheme commenced to date, 459 MDAs have been enrolled with a total number of 310,453 staff.

    “Over N120 billion cumulatively saved as a result of the difference between the amount government would have released to the MDAs based on appropriation, and actual amount released and paid through IPPIS.

    “By the end of this month (October), we expect to make an additional N100 billion savings after the verification and capturing of the Armed Forces,” he said.

    Idris said also that the Treasury Single Account (TSA) had so far saved the government N108.1 billion in account maintenance fees and other charges that would have been paid to banks for managing the accounts of MDAs.

    He said that the TSA had also eliminated the bad practice of operating several accounts by MDAs, therefore making it difficult for MDAs to divert public funds.

    Idris also recalled that the Government Integrated Financial Management Information system (GIFMIS) went live in April, 2012, and as at date, it had over 300 Ministries, Departments and Agencies on the system.

    “GIFMIS has helped government to increase the ability of FGN to undertake central control and monitoring of expenditures and receipts in the MDAs and facilitates access to information on financial and operational performance.

    “It has also helped to improve internal controls to prevent and detect potential and actual fraud.

    “GIFMIS has also strengthened governance and accountability in MDAs through efficient and effective service delivery,” he said.

    Meanwhile the Executive Director of Jos Business School, Mr Ezekiel Gomos, made a presentation on “SMEs as Engine of Economic Development in Nigeria”.

    He said that at present, small businesses were failing due to tough operating environment, including infrastructure, regulation, policy and taxes.

    Gomos said government needed to encourage SMEs by creating business friendly laws, policies and regulations that would stimulate the latent talents that millions of Nigerians were endowed with.

    To make SMEs more viable in the country, he called on the government to promote policies that would favour SMEs rather, than bigger companies.

    “Nigerian SMEs cannot drive economic development in the 21st century with 20th century infrastructure. There is need to develop clusters or industrial parks with basic infrastructure for SMEs.

    “Also, on access to finance, there is need to make the processes and procedures to access finance less cumbersome and complex.

    “We must find innovative solutions to unlock sources of capital, while the need for SME Credit Guarantee Scheme is long overdue,” he said.

    NAN

  • Man, arraigned for stealing phone

    Man, arraigned for stealing phone

    The Police on Thursday arraigned a 32-year-old man, Ahmed Idris, who allegedly pleaded to use the cell phone of a lady to make a call, only to disappear with it.

    Idris, whose residential address is unknown, is facing a two-count charge of stealing and fraud at an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court.

    He pleaded not guilty to the charge.

    The prosecutor, Insp. Eruada Victor , told the court that the accused committed the offences on March 28, at Gina Road, Agege, in Lagos.

    Victor said the accused approached the complainant, Blessing Uchenna , and pleaded to make a call with her Techno F9 cell phone valued at N50,000.

    He said that the accused fraudulently collected the phone and made away with it.

    The prosecutor said that the complainant reported the case to the police and the accused was apprehended.

    He said the offence contravened Sections 285 and 312 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

    The Magistrate, Mrs G.O. Anifowoshe, granted the accused bail in the sum of N50,000 with two sureties in like sum.

    She said the sureties must be gainfully employed and must show evidence of tax payment to the Lagos State Government.

    The magistrate adjourned the case till April 17 for mention.

  • Senate summons ministers, AGF, four firms over e-passport deals

    Senate summons ministers, AGF, four firms over e-passport deals

    The Senate ad hoc committee investigating alleged misuse, under remittance, and other fraudulent activities in the collection, remittance and expenditure of internally generated revenue by MDAs has invited the Attorney General of the Federation, Mr. Abubakar Malami, Minister of Interior, General Danbazzau and  Accountant General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris over alleged shady deals in the production and sale of e-passport.

    Also summoned by the committee to shed light on the multi-billion naira production and sale of e-passport includes four companies.

    They are to appear before the Senator Solomon Adeola led committee to explain their roles on e-Passport production and other immigration related issues that the companies performed on behalf of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS). The firms were said to have entered into public private partnership (PPP) arrangement with the NIS over the years.

    The invited companies included Contec Nigeria Ltd, Greater Washington Nigeria Ltd, New work Solution and Investment Ltd, and Iris Smart Technologies which works on e-passport production, expatriate residence permit and alien card and related immigration.

    The companies are also said to have contractual agreements to perform some revenue generating service on behalf of the NIS “with the companies withholding a hefty percentage of revenue that would have accrued to the Federal Government.”

    Senator Adeola issued the invitation following the presentation made by the Comptroller General of Nigeria Immigration Service, Mr. Mohammed Babandede, on the revenue profile of the service. The committee wanted to know how generated revenue, “running into billions of naira and dollar, were shared by the companies, NIS and the Federal Government.”

    Adeola said, “I am at loss why huge part of revenue generated by NIS continued to be paid to private firms in the name of PPP that should actually be based on Build Operate and Transfer (BOT).

    “We cannot continue to deny Nigerians the benefits that would accrue to them through increase revenue to government coffers instead of huge earnings for private concerns.

    “This is an area that government can generate huge revenue. There is need to get clarifications on this issue from all the parties involved.”

    The CG of NIS, in his presentation, noted that the reasons for entering into PPP arrangement at the time the government did was attributed to inadequate funding and late release of budgeted sums, multiple acquisition of travel documents and poor revenue generation. He added that the private partners provided all the funding while money realized in the course of issuing facilities is shared with government in order to allow the private partners recoup their investment.

    The Immigration boss said that for the period of investigation by the Senate between 2012-2016 total remittance to Federal Government stood at over N17 billion and over$112million.

    He noted that “revenue accruing to government has increased almost a hundred fold since the introduction of these (PPP) agreements”.

  • Senate summons AGF, others over e-passport deals

    The Senate AdHoc Committee on Alleged Misuse, Under Remittance, and other Fraudulent Activities in Collection, Remittance and Expenditure of Internally Generated Revenue by Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) on Saturday summoned the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), Ahmed Idris, the Minister of Interior, Lt.-Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau (retd) and four private companies to appear before it on April 6.

    Idris and others were invited to brief the lawmakers on their involvement in alleged e-passport deals.

    The Chairman of the committee, Senator Solomon Adeola, stated these in a statement issued by his Media Adviser, Chief Kayode Odunaro.

    Odunaro quoted Adeola as saying “the AGF, Mr. Ahmed Idris, and the four companies were invited to appear before it to brief the committee on the multi-billion-naira e-passport production.”

    Adeola said the invited persons would also explain their involvement in other immigration-related issues carried out by the companies on behalf of Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) in a Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement.

    According to him, the companies are Contec Nigeria Limited, Greater Washington Nigeria Limited, Network Solution and Investment Limited and Iris Smart Technologies.

    The companies were said to be working on e-passport production, Expatriate Residence Permit and Alien Card and other immigration-related issues.

    NAN

  • Reps panel threaten to arrest Emefiele over oil blocs

    The House of Representatives has threatened to issue warrant of arrest on the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele and the Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF), Mr. Ahmed Idris, over oil licenses.

    The threat is in respect of the sale of Oil Prospecting Licenses (OPLs) and Oil Mining Leases (OMLs) to some international oil companies, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

    The Chairman of the House Adhoc Committee on OPLs/OMLs, Gideon Gwani (PDP-Kaduna), issued the threat while briefing journalists on Friday in Abuja.

    He said the committee’s mandate was to carry out investigation of all the OPLs and OMLs granted by the Federal Government.

    Gwani said the committee, in the course of investigation, discovered that there were many anomalies in the process leading to the award of oil blocs to IOCs by the government.

    The lawmaker said other issues being investigated by the committee include the award of marginal fields and signature bonuses among others.

    Gwani added that no production activity took place in some oil blocs awarded to the IOCs over 30 years ago.