Gombe Introduces N1.49 billion Integrated Payroll Gateway to reduce shadow workers
Chima Azubuike, Gombe
Gombe State Commissioner for Finance, Muhammad Magaji, has said the state has introduced Integrated Payroll Payment Gateway and Human Resource Management Information System to reduce leakages.
Magaji disclosed this on Wednesday, while briefing newsmen after Council Meeting presided by Governor Muhammadu Yahaya, adding that the system would help the state save cost and ensure only those eligible for payment are those who contribute to the productivity of the state.
He revealed that the Payroll system is designed solely for Gombe State at the rate of N1.49 billion naira.
Magaji said, “Gombe State Integrated Payroll Payment Gateway and Human Resource Information Management System. This will help us reduce payroll fraud and totally eliminate it and to increase transparency in the payment of salaries and pension to deserving pensioners and to also manage human resource capabilities in the state and local government levels.
“What we have realised is that we have so many workers on the payroll but if you do a verification exercise you find out everyone comes for the verification exercise but after very few or certain percentage of workers come to work this means only a few come for verification but do not attend to work. It will verify the facial description that will authenticate when the person comes or leaves. Most of these people will be taken out of the payroll.”
Magaji observed that the state having test run the method is optimistic, adding that it is not geared towards witch-hunting anyone.
“A pilot exercise conducted for pensioners revealed that we have about 600 pensioners who didn’t turn up and if you take an average payment you will discover that the state made savings of about 18 million to the state. Another pilot exercise conducted only in Gombe Local Government revealed a savings of about 23 million naira from staff who don’t turn out for work. It a double edged we spent about 80-90 percent of our earnings from Internally Generated Revenue and Allocation in the payment of salaries and pensions to staff and those whom have retired.
“If we continue to pay that it means only 10-15 percent would be used to provide services for other people in Gombe State whereas the civil service and the pensioners are just about 1.7 percent of the total population of people in Gombe State and others need services to be provided for them. So to move forward we need to stop excesses, clean up the Payroll and stop paying those who do not work but earn salaries. This system will not exclude or remove anyone who is an authentic worker or staff who contributes to productivity would be paid,” Magaji added.
