Federal Civil Servants Protest Data Capture Process
A group of disgruntled federal civil servants has taken to the streets to protest the inadequately planned process of inputting their data into the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS).
The federal government had issued a directive for approximately 17,000 federal civil servants who remained uncaptured to submit their information to the IPPIS database.
Salaries Halted Due to Unprocessed Data
Since May, a significant number of employees have faced salary stoppages due to their details not being integrated into the IPPIS.
In response to this issue, the registration exercise was organized at a single location: the Public Service Institute of Nigeria (PSIN) on Kubwa Expressway, Abuja.
Consequently, affected workers from various regions across the country have traveled to Abuja to complete the registration process.
Protests Over Slow Verification Process
The discontented workers, whose salaries have been suspended, have voiced their concerns over the registration process.
They reported that on a recent Monday, only 30 individuals were attended to by IPPIS officials, causing dissatisfaction among the waiting crowd.
Frustration escalated when news emerged that some colleagues traveling from Maiduguri to Abuja for the IPPIS verification were involved in an accident in Gombe.
Protest Turns Violent
As reported by SaharaReporters, the situation took a violent turn on Tuesday, with some protestors breaking glass in frustration.
Thousands of civil servants gathered at the verification center, including nursing mothers, with more en route from across the nation.
Their primary demand is the decentralization of the IPPIS verification process to ease the burden and frustration experienced by affected workers.
They argue that the South-West, South-East, and other regions should conduct their verifications in their respective areas, rather than mandating all 17,000 individuals to travel to Abuja, where only a few verifications are conducted each day.
Police Intervention and Worker’s Perspective
In response to the escalating protest, IPPIS officials at the verification center summoned the police, who allegedly used tear gas to disperse the demonstrators after violence erupted.
One of the affected workers expressed dissatisfaction with the government’s insensitivity, considering the economic hardships they have endured due to the non-payment of their salaries since May.
The government had mandated all workers to appear in Abuja for the physical screening, adding to their woes.
Background on IPPIS Registration
The registration process for the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) commenced in May 2017 and continued in subsequent years, ultimately concluding in April 2023.
This move aimed to streamline and improve the payroll and personnel management of federal civil servants.
However, the recent issues have triggered frustration and protests among the affected workers.