Uche Usim, Abuja
The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has joined the list of establishments frowning against the full implementation of the Integrated Personnel Information System (IPPIS) by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation.
PENGASSAN made its displeasure known in a letter signed by its Secretary-General, Lumumba Okugbowa and dated June 19 that was addressed to the Minister of State, Petroleum Resources.
According to the Scribe, industrial peace in the sector cannot be guaranteed if the salaries of its members were stopped or if the implementation was carried out unilaterally without its input.
Okugbowa recalled that PENGASSAN has been in talks with a committee set up by the Ministry of Labour and Employment on IPPIS to consider its peculiarities in coming unto the IPPIS platform, instead of a blanket implementation.
“These talks have not been concluded and we called for a resumption of talks in order to resolve the issues raised and, where required, provide additional information to the IPPIS.
“We reiterate that industrial peace in the sector cannot be guaranteed if the salaries of our members are stopped or if the implementation is carried out unilaterally without our input. We, therefore, call on you to use your good office to advise the Office of the Accountant-General to refrain from implementing the enrolment of our members on IPPIS until the final resolution of the matter.
“Please be informed that the Association/Union apprehension about the IPPIS platform stems from the fact that it discountenances the peculiarities of the oil and gas industry with regards to Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) and approved pay structure between Union and Federal Government though the Salaries, Wages, Income Commission.
“The Association/Union are equally, surprised that though the Federal Government recently revived the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS), where all the affected Agencies are currently on, the office of the Accountant-General still insists on enrolling our members on the very defective and problematic IPPIS platform.
“We are in receipt of a copy of a directive from the office of the Accountant-General of the Federation directing the Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies to register their staff on the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) platform on or before Thursday, 18th June 2020; threatening further release of Personnel Cost if the directive is ignored”, the letter noted.
