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Taiwo Omotunde, 21 band members escape armed robbery attack along Ilesa-Ife road

Veteran juju musician and bandleader, Evangelist Taiwo Omotunde, and 21 members of his band, Eternal Beats, have escaped an armed robbery attack along the Ilesa-Ife road in Osun State, with their vehicle, cash, phones, laptops and other valuables reportedly stolen.

The musician, who is the Oyo State Governor of the Performing Musicians Employers Association of Nigeria (PMAN) and Deputy Chairman of PMAN South-West Zone, disclosed the incident in a security alert issued after the attack on Friday night, saying that although the gang dispossessed them of their belongings, all members of the band survived the encounter.

The band was reportedly returning from a musical performance when the armed assailants struck, leaving the travelling party traumatised and the driver injured.

Omotunde, who expressed gratitude for the survival of the band members, said the incident had also exposed him to the risk of impersonation and financial fraud following the theft of his communication devices and other personal belongings.

‘Taiwo Omotunde and band members escaped from the hands of armed robbers/kidnappers along Ilesa-Ife on Friday night. My car, money, phones, laptops and valuables stolen. Driver injured. But all alive,’ he stated.

He subsequently warned members of the public, friends, colleagues and associates to disregard any messages or calls requesting financial assistance purportedly from him through his stolen phone numbers, WhatsApp accounts, email addresses, Facebook and other communication channels.

According to him, such communications should not be entertained, as they could be attempts by the attackers or other persons to exploit the stolen devices and impersonate him.

The musician also confirmed that he and all 21 members of his band were safe, despite the frightening experience.

‘The attack has again drawn attention to the security risks confronting travelling musicians and other entertainment practitioners, particularly those returning from late-night engagements on highways.

‘Beyond the loss of property, such incidents expose artistes, their crew members and drivers to potentially fatal dangers, with implications for the movement of entertainment professionals across the country,’ he added.

Omotunde, a respected juju musician and Chief Executive Officer of Eternal Beats Band, has remained active in the music industry and musicians’ leadership.

He also emerged as the Oyo State Governor of PMAN and Deputy Chairman of PMAN South-West Zone following the election of a new regional executive council in August 2026.

His emergence as Deputy Chairman places him among the musicians’ representatives expected to advance the welfare, unity and professional interests of practitioners across the South-West.

The incident, however, has brought his personal safety and that of his band members into sharp focus, with the musician appealing for vigilance against fraudulent requests made in his name.

Cyprus hosts international conference on dry-stone construction

Commissioner for the Environment and Animal Welfare, ?lias Myrianthous highlighted the importance of the knowledge required to construct dry-stone walls and its relevance to the contemporary needs of rural areas, during the opening session of an international meeting on dry-stone construction taking place in the mountainous region of Limassol district, Cyprus.

The international meeting, co-organised by the Commissioner’s Office, the Department of Antiquities, the Unit for Education for the Environment and Sustainable Development and the “Petra stin Petra” includes workshops, presentations and various events. It features participants from Cyprus, Greece, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Bulgaria, Spain, Austria and South Korea.

In his address the Commissioner noted that dry-stone walls are a familiar sight in vineyards, on hillsides, and across fields, particularly throughout the mountainous and semi-mountainous regions, as well as the wine villages of Limassol.

He further pointed out that behind every such structure lies the knowledge of those who worked with stone and their own hands, observing the terrain and devising ways to organise the landscape.

Myrianthous noted that the inclusion of the art of dry-stone walling in UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage recognises the value of this craft and of the people who keep it alive.

He hailed the role of the international conference in Cyprus and the various workshops aiming at safeguarding the continuity of this work.

He also noted that the initiative takes on particular significance following the devastating fires that struck the Limassol district, pointing out the significance of working for the restoration of the landscape and bringing people together in a collective effort.

The Commissioner also said that the contemporary value of dry-stone construction, in terms of agricultural activity, soil protection, and the preservation of the rural landscape, is also reflected in various agricultural policy initiatives.

Ayala turnaround gains traction

Ayala Corp.’s efforts to cut losses and tighten capital spending are gaining traction, with improving results from its newer businesses strengthening its turnaround prospects, according to conglomerate analyst Klark Gaba.

In a research note, Gaba said changes under president and CEO Cezar ‘Bong’ Consing had eliminated P3 billion in recurring portfolio losses through the disposal of nonperforming assets.

Since taking the helm in late 2022, Consing has also brought in operating partners for AC Health and AC Logistics, reduced parent company headcount by 50 and raised P20 billion in fresh equity through Mitsubishi Corp’s investment.

AC Health, AC Logistics and AC Mobility remain unprofitable, but narrowing losses and operational changes point to improving prospects, Gaba said.

AC Logistics’ net loss narrowed to P167 million in the first half of 2026, with its net margin improving to negative 8 percent.

The subsidiary recorded a P1.9-billion loss and a negative 48-percent margin for full-year 2025.

At AC Health, provider group revenues grew by 32 percent as patient volumes and average spending increased.

Professional fees included in revenues nearly doubled to P700 million, which Gaba viewed as an indication of greater physician activity.

Expansion-related costs, however, weighed on profitability.

AC Mobility sold 25,048 vehicles across its brands in the first half, up 25 percent year-on-year, supported by its BYD partnership.

The peso’s weakness pressured margins, although its negative margin narrowed to 0.18 percent from 1.49 percent in 2024.

Gaba said the charging station rollout should support longer-term profitability.

Ayala has also moderated capital infusions. Annual investments averaged P17.8 billion in 2023 to 2025, down from P18.6 billion in 2018 to 2022.

Capital infusions as a proportion of dividends received fell to 91 percent from 123 percent across the same periods, reflecting a more disciplined allocation of resources, Gaba said.

A dedicated portfolio management team now assesses businesses against their cost of capital, operating targets and return measures, including return on equity, return on invested capital and total shareholder return.

NUJP seeks arrest of mastermind in Cagayan de Oro radioman’s murder

More than four years after gunshots silenced radio broadcaster Federico ‘Ding’ Gempesaw right on his own doorstep, the triggerman is behind bars, but the most crucial question remains unanswered: who ordered the hit?

Marking the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists on Monday, Nov. 2, this city’s chapter of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) voiced deep frustration over the stalled pursuit of the mastermind behind the city’s first reported media killing.

Gempesaw, a blocktime commentator for Radyo Natin, was gunned down outside his residence in Macanhan, Barangay Carmen, on June 29, 2022.

Maj. Joann Navarro, spokesperson for the Northern Mindanao Police Regional Office (PRO 10), confirmed to the Inquirer that the suspected gunman is currently facing court proceedings following his arrest on Oct. 31 last year.

She identified the arrested suspect as Peter Zalso Quimada Jr.

The suspect, collared through a no-bail arrest warrant for murder, was positively identified by Gempesaw’s son, who now serves as a key prosecution witness.

However, Navarro noted that a second person – a ‘John Doe’ who fled with the gunman – remains at large.

While the media watchdog welcomed the arrest of the alleged gunman, it maintained a critical stance on the direction of the police investigation, which floated a personal grudge between the suspect and the victim as a probable motive.

The NUJP chapter, however, is pushing back.

‘Remembering Sir Ding amid the observance of the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists is also our way to remind authorities of their unfinished obligation to identify and arrest the mastermind behind the killing and hold all perpetrators accountable,’ Franck Rosete, chairman of NUJP Cagayan de Oro Chapter, told the Inquirer on Monday.

The group urged authorities to relentlessly pursue the mastermind to bring genuine closure to the Gempesaw family.

Gempesaw’s assassination adds to a grim and growing toll. According to NUJP, media killings under President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s administration reached 12 following the murder of Albay-based broadcast journalist Adrian Loterte just last month.

Reaffirming their commitment to truth-telling amid the threats, the NUJP local chapter appealed for broader civilian support to protect an increasingly vulnerable press.

‘We vow to continue our work, and we call on the public to stand with us in demanding justice and defending media freedom and people’s right to know,’ the chapter said in a statement Monday.

At the national level, the government acknowledged the uphill battle in securing convictions.

‘Ending impunity means ensuring that attacks against journalists are not ignored, that cases are not forgotten, and that victims and their families can have confidence that justice remains within reach,’ Undersecretary Jose Torres Jr., executive director of the Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS), said in a statement issued Monday.

‘An arrest is an important step, but our collective responsibility does not end there. Cases must be diligently pursued, with full respect for due process and the independence of the courts,’ he added.

Torres noted that the occasion is both a tribute to fallen journalists and a call for concrete action to protect those who continue to report in the public interest.

The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed Nov. 2 as the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists in 2013, commemorating the murder of French journalists Ghislaine Dupont and Claude Verlon in Mali.

’Short circuit risk’ remains, university says

King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi (KMUTT) has warned flood victims to check their homes for hidden electrical and structural damage, as submerged appliances could cause fires even if they appear to work normally.

The warning follows inspections by KMUTT lecturers and students, working with Singha R-SA and the King Mongkut’s Universities of Technology network, in the Rom Klao housing community after heavy rainfall and flooding in late September.

The team found faulty electrical installations and other hazards that homeowners might not have known about before the floods.

Asst Prof Atip Doolgindachbaporn of KMUTT’s electrical engineering department said many homes had power sockets installed close to the floor, leaving them vulnerable to flooding and short circuits.

Unlabelled circuit breakers also complicated repairs, forcing technicians to spend hours identifying which circuits they controlled.

Some residents had also suffered electric shocks when operating switches that had not been submerged, possibly because of accumulated moisture and deteriorating electrical components.

The team also discovered wiring installed incorrectly, with live and neutral wires switched, posing a safety risk that had existed before the flooding.

Asst Prof Atip advised homeowners in flood-prone areas to label circuit breakers clearly, separate lighting and socket circuits and raise sockets above previous flood levels where possible. Homes whose sockets, switches or electrical control panels have been inundated should not have their power restored until a qualified electrician has inspected the system.

Appliances that have been submerged should also be treated with caution, even if they have dried out and can still be switched on.

Water can damage insulation and internal components, creating a risk of short circuits or fires later.

15-year-old boy admits killing mother with hammer in Bohol

A 15-year-old boy has admitted killing his 46-year-old mother with a hammer following an argument at their home in Panglao, Bohol, before dragging her body to an abandoned septic tank, police said Sunday, Nov. 1.

Police Major Joseph Lopena, spokesperson for the Bohol Police Provincial Office (BPPO), said Panglao police initiated contact with the teenager, who eventually confessed to killing his mother.

Investigators said the boy allegedly attacked his mother after she reprimanded him for cutting classes. The argument reportedly escalated into a physical confrontation, prompting him to get a hammer and strike her on the head several times.

After the killing, he allegedly dragged her body about 30 meters from their house and dumped it inside an old septic tank, which he covered with stones.

Lopena said that investigators found out that the victim’s duster came off as her body was dragged to the septic tank, leaving her unclothed.

The hammer allegedly used in the killing was recovered by police after the teenager told investigators he had hidden it under the kitchen sink.

The victim’s body was discovered around 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 31, after a neighbor and relative noticed blowflies hovering near the abandoned septic tank in Barangay Looc.

They checked the tank and found the woman’s body before reporting the discovery to their barangay captain.

According to the Panglao Municipal Police Station, it received the report at around 10:01 a.m. and dispatched personnel to the scene.

The Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) team processed the area, completing its examination at around 5 p.m.

The municipal health officer initially estimated the victim died between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m. on Oct. 31. Investigators also noted traumatic injuries to her head.

Police said the teenager initially told investigators that he last saw his mother on the evening of Oct. 30, when she told him she would travel to Tagbilaran City at around 9 p.m.

The suspect also claimed that the following morning, he just noticed that his mother had not returned home before he left for school.

Lopena said investigators learned that the teenager was reportedly a good student and an athlete, with no known vices and no known regular group of friends. Authorities also found that he had reached a high level in the online game Roblox.

Lacson cautions vs airing updates on Dela Rosa hunt

Sen. Panfilo ‘Ping’ Lacson has cautioned authorities against publicly disclosing operational details in the intensified search for Sen. Ronald ‘Bato’ dela Rosa, saying secrecy is essential when law enforcers pursue a high-profile target.

‘SSSHHH… : When pursuing a high-profile target or handling a sensitive live case, secrecy discipline is key, unless disinformation is necessary to flush the quarry into the open,’ Lacson said in a post on X on Sunday.

The Philippine National Police has stepped up its manhunt for Dela Rosa after a one-week ultimatum for the senator to surrender, issued by PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr., expired on Friday. The search is unfolding amid a P50-million reward announced by Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla for information leading to the senator’s arrest.

Lacson, who was PNP chief from 1999 to 2001 and Dela Rosa’s superior at the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force, said authorities should not immediately publicize ‘solid’ information that could help solve a case until after the operation is completed.

He stressed that sensitive information should be disclosed ahead of time only as a deliberate strategy to flush out the quarry.

‘We’re just really quiet and only when the [target] was caught or neutralized that it would be telegraphed,’ Lacson said in an earlier interview. ‘For sure, Sen. Dela Rosa has been monitoring. And if he believes that his location has already been pinpointed, he’s not stupid to stay there.’

Lacson also acknowledged that releasing information could, in some circumstances, be a deliberate tactic to draw a wanted person out of hiding or avert bloodshed. But he said such a decision should be left to the police, which have wider access to intelligence.

‘We’ll just leave it to the PNP because they know better. They have broader access to intelligence information,’ he said.

Operational secrecy

The PNP announced on Oct. 28 the launch of round-the-clock hotlines for tips on Dela Rosa’s whereabouts. PNP public information chief Col. Allen Rae Co presented five mobile numbers that the public may call or text with verified information. Co warned that people who deliberately submit false information or make prank calls could face criminal charges.

‘This is an official law enforcement resource, these are the numbers, and you can be criminally charged if you play with them,’ he said.

The PNP said it had received no new information on whether Dela Rosa intended to surrender. Co also said negotiations remained ongoing with a supposed armed group allegedly protecting the senator in Mindanao.

Nartatez issued the one-week surrender ultimatum on Oct. 23, saying police operations would proceed regardless of the reward or the deadline. The PNP has not publicly disclosed further operational details.

Dela Rosa is the subject of an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in connection with alleged crimes linked to the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte’s campaign against illegal drugs.

The senator has been in hiding since November 2025 after learning that an ICC warrant had been issued against him.

Legal challenge

In a manifestation dated Oct. 27, Dela Rosa’s lawyers renewed their plea for the Supreme Court to act urgently on a motion for reconsideration filed in June and issue a temporary restraining order against any attempt to arrest him for eventual surrender to the ICC.

The lawyers, from the firm of Israelito Torreon, argued that the P50-million bounty and Remulla’s description of Dela Rosa as ‘armed and dangerous’ heightened the threat to the senator’s constitutional rights, particularly his right to life.

‘No court has found petitioner Dela Rosa to be armed and dangerous,’ the lawyers told the high court. They argued that the label could signal to police operating units that armed resistance should be expected, creating circumstances in which lethal force was more likely to be used.

‘Coupled with a bounty and a declaration abandoning restraint, the designation places petitioner Dela Rosa’s right to life under Article III, Section 1 of the Constitution in present and serious danger,’ they said.

Dela Rosa left the Senate building in the early hours of May 14 after the ICC arrest warrant was unsealed.

He is accused of murder in connection with killings during the drug war while he was PNP chief from 2016 to 2018. He is also named as an alleged co-perpetrator in the ICC’s separate crimes against humanity case against Duterte, which concerns the former president’s anti-drug campaign.

Remulla had earlier said on Sept. 8 that authorities knew Dela Rosa’s location. On Oct. 19, he said the senator was in Mindanao under the protection of an armed group and warned that an arrest attempt could lead to 10,000 deaths. The PNP has not independently detailed those claims.

Dela Rosa appeared in the Senate on May 11 to vote in the chamber’s leadership election. He left the premises days later, after a shooting incident, and has not made a subsequent public appearance.

ýOndo SUBEB charges 637 newly absorbed teachers on professionalism

ýThe Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Princess Ademulegun Olufunmilayo Brown, gave the charge while addressing the beneficiaries following the successful completion of the absorption exercise. She described the development as an important step towards strengthening manpower and improving the quality of basic education across the state.

ýAs part of the exercise, the distribution of employment letters commenced on Wednesday, 28th October with beneficiaries from the Central Senatorial District, while those from the Southern and Northern Senatorial Districts received their letters on Thursday, 29th, and Friday 39th, respectively.

ýAddressing the beneficiaries, the Chairman described their appointment as both a privilege and a call to service, urging them to demonstrate integrity, punctuality, discipline and commitment to their responsibilities.

ýShe emphasised that teachers play a vital role not only in imparting knowledge but also in shaping the character and future of pupils.

ýThe Chairman further charged them to familiarise themselves with the rules governing the Ondo State Public Service and the teaching profession, while embracing continuous professional development and effective teaching practices that would improve pupils’ learning outcomes.

ýShe assured the beneficiaries of the Board’s commitment to strengthening basic education delivery and urged them to reciprocate the confidence reposed in them by the state government through exemplary service.

ýShe therefore directed all newly absorbed personnel to report to their respective duty posts within one week of receiving their appointment letters, warning that failure to comply could result in forfeiture of the employment opportunity, subject to applicable regulations.

ýPrincess Brown expressed appreciation to Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa for approving the absorption, noting that the initiative reflected his administration’s commitment to addressing staffing needs in public schools and advancing the education sector under the OUR EASE Agenda.

ýShe also commended the committee constituted by the Governor to oversee the exercise, chaired by Engr. Bola Taiwo, with Mrs. Dare-Atunse and Pastor Omotayo Akeju as members, and Princess Abike Bayo-Ilawole as Secretary, for ensuring transparency, fairness and adherence to due process.

ýAlso speaking, the Permanent Secretary of ODSUBEB, Princess Abike Bayo-Ilawole, explained that the absorption exercise was undertaken to address outstanding issues arising from last year’s recruitment exercise and ensure that qualified personnel were properly captured.

ýShe disclosed that the screening covered the three senatorial districts of the state, with more than 1,000 applications and related correspondence attended to. She maintained that the process was conducted without bias or prejudice, in accordance with the principles of fairness, transparency and equal opportunity.

ýShe urged the beneficiaries to complete and submit all necessary documentation for proper integration into the Board’s administrative system. She also warned against surrogate service, stressing that no teacher would be permitted to delegate his or her official responsibilities to another person. Anyone found engaging in the practice, she cautioned, would face disciplinary action.

ýIn their goodwill messages, the Board’s Full-Time Member I, Hon. Christopher Olorunfemi; State Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Comrade Ayodele Samuel-Leke; and State Chairman of the Association of Primary School Headteachers of Nigeria (AOPSHON), Comrade Olakunle Akintoroye, congratulated the beneficiaries and urged them to uphold the ethics and dignity of the teaching profession.

ýThey also advised the newly absorbed personnel to remain law-abiding, respect constituted authority and demonstrate diligence and commitment to improving the standard of basic education in the state.

ýSpeaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mrs. Fajana Recheal, Mrs. Olugboji Funmilayo and Mrs. Adenike Oluwaseun expressed gratitude to Governor Aiyedatiwa for the opportunity to serve in the state public teaching service.

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ýThey also appreciated the Board and the screening committee for the successful completion of the exercise, assuring that the beneficiaries would justify the confidence placed in them through dedication and exemplary service.

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CBK differs with Mbadi on Sh10bn banks’ capital rule

The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) has differed with the Treasury over the extension of the Sh10 billion capital requirement for commercial banks, ordering lenders to ignore pronouncements by the Cabinet Secretary that eliminated the staggering of the capital over five years.

The CBK has directed banks to stick to the initial plan of raising minimum core capital to at least Sh5 billion by the end of next month, Sh6 billion next year, Sh8 billion in 2028 and Sh10 billion in 2029.

This contradicts the Treasury’s position that set a one-off hard deadline of December 2032 and eliminated the staggered build-up, which spared 14 banks from the burden of raising at least Sh33 billion by the end of December.

The regulator has ordered banks with core capital of less than Sh5 billion to offer written explanations on how they plan to meet the requirement before year-end.

‘There are a few banks where we want them to come and tell us how they are going to meet the target for 2026, which is Sh5 billion.

There are one or two that might struggle, but we want to hear from them how they are going to meet that target,’ CBK Governor Dr Kamau Thugge told the National Assembly Finance and Planning Committee.

‘That is our position and have communicated to the National Treasury expressing that position,’ he added.

Dr Thugge disclosed that the banks whose capital was below the set target were yet to respond to the regulator amid confusion in the sector over the higher core capital.

As at the end of June, 14 banks including Middle East Bank, M-Oriental Bank, Bank of Africa, Premier Bank, Guardian Bank, DIB Bank and Habib Bank AG Zurich, had core capital less than Sh5 billion.

Seven banks, including Credit Bank, UBA Bank, Development Bank of Kenya, African Banking Corporation, Access Bank and Consolidated Bank of Kenya, had not met the Sh3 billion target set for the end of 2025 by June this year.

The CBK had warned it could downgrade banks that fail to meet the capital requirements to microfinance banks, but no action has been taken against those lagging.

Sources within the sector indicated the Treasury did not consult the CBK when it decided to extend the deadline following lobbying by small banks, which were under pressure to meet the requirements.

Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi tabled the proposal to extend the deadline a day after the regulator told the market that the deadline would not be extended and banks should work towards meeting the Sh5 billion target for this year.

The regulator has now stamped its authority in the industry and is asking banks to stick to the capital-raising schedule in the law.

‘The National Treasury has no regulatory mandate. Anybody rational will choose to go with what the Banking Act says and not some statement made on the floor of Parliament without legal backing,’ said a CEO in a top bank, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Mr Mbadi did not make amendments to the Banking Act to remove the scheduled capital-raising plan despite proposing legal changes to back the extension and removal of the staggered fundraising.

‘I will be proposing amendments to the timelines specified in the Business Laws (Amendment) Act 2024 to allow commercial banks to raise the minimum core capital to Sh10 billion by December 31, 2032 without the annual milestones,’ said Mr Mbadi during the budget statement on Thursday.

Mr Mbadi had argued the amendments would ensure flexibility for the banks to pursue capital raising while preserving shareholder value and sustaining investor confidence.

FG tightens rules for adding new workers to payroll

The Federal Government has introduced stricter conditions for admitting newly recruited workers into its payroll.

Under the new rule there will be multiple levels of verification and approval by the Accountant-General of the Federation is now compulsory before their salaries can be processed.

The announcement was contained in a statement issued in Abuja on Monday by the Director of Press and Public Relations in the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation Bawa Mokwa.

Going forward no newly recruited federal employee will be enrolled in the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) without first being captured in the nominal roll of the relevant ministry department or agency (MDA) and satisfying all prescribed documentation and eligibility requirements.

The new policy announced by the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF) also places greater responsibility on MDAs to account for their personnel records and salary budgets as part of efforts to strengthen transparency accountability and efficiency in the management of the Federal Government’s payroll.

The directive which takes immediate effect applies to all ongoing and subsequent processes for admitting newly recruited federal employees into the payroll.

The OAGF said the changes were part of efforts to re-engineer payroll administration under IPPIS and improve the management of government personnel records.

A major feature of the new arrangement is the requirement for every employing MDA to formally request the admission of newly recruited workers into the federal payroll supported by relevant recruitment approvals appointment letters applicable waivers and other necessary documents.

The Accountant-General’s Office said these documents would be subjected to thorough examination before any employee could be considered for enrolment.

It explained that the verification would cover employees’ personal records salary structures grade levels steps allowances and other financial entitlements to ensure that the information submitted for payroll processing was accurate.

The exercise will also extend to statutory employee records including Pension Fund Administrator (PFA) details pension identification numbers National Housing Fund (NHF) registration and tax records.

According to the OAGF the checks are intended to ensure that deductions relating to pensions housing contributions and taxes are properly calculated and remitted to the appropriate institutions.

The new procedure also establishes multiple layers of responsibility between the OAGF and the MDAs before a newly recruited worker can be admitted into the government payroll.

After completing its initial verification the OAGF will forward the employee’s records to the relevant MDA for confirmation and endorsement by designated senior officials.

The officials required to endorse the records are the Accounting Officer Director of Human Resources Director of Finance and Accounts and the designated Payroll Validating Officer.

The records will then be returned to the Accountant-General’s Office for final processing.

The OAGF stated that completing these stages would still not guarantee automatic admission as final enrolment would depend on satisfactory completion of all the prescribed validation procedures and approval by the Accountant-General of the Federation.

The government has also warned that applications containing incomplete documentation or unresolved discrepancies will not be admitted into the payroll until the outstanding requirements have been met.

This means that newly recruited federal workers whose employment and personal records do not satisfy the prescribed conditions may have to wait before their salaries can be processed through IPPIS.

The directive further makes officials responsible for processing and approving payroll admissions accountable for any violation of the applicable rules and regulations.

The OAGF has consequently directed all Permanent Secretaries Heads of Agencies and other relevant officers to ensure strict compliance with the new requirements.

The increased responsibility assigned to MDAs is also intended to strengthen their control over personnel expenditure as the ministries and agencies are expected to maintain accurate nominal rolls and properly account for their personnel budgets.

By making MDAs responsible for confirming employee records at different stages of the process the government is seeking to establish clearer lines of accountability between the institutions that recruit workers and the office responsible for processing their salaries.