FCTA to Audit Remittance of Payroll Deductions

Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja 

 The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has flagged off the auditing of the remittance of statutory and non-statutory deductions from the payroll of workers from year 2010 to 2022 to be remitted to the third-party beneficiaries.

The FCT Permanent Secretary, Mr. Olusade Adesola conducted the flag-off exercise yesterday in Abuja.

He disclosed that the auditing of the remittances of payroll deductions was in line with the FCTA’s objectives and commitment to ensure transparency, accountability and responsible financial management.

 According to him, the remittance of statutory deductions to be audited, included taxes, pensions and insurance, while the non-statutory deductions fall under employee contributions to cooperative societies and various welfare programmes.

The audit exercise is also being carried out to ensure that the administration’s obligations to third-party beneficiaries are met with utmost integrity.

 Adesola said the remittances of payroll deductions play pivotal roles in maintaining the welfare of the FCTA workforce, lamenting that remittances for both statutory and non-statutory deductions from the payroll of workers since 2010 had faced some setbacks.

 He said some of the problems created as a result of such non-remittances, he include the failure by FCTA retirees to claim their National Housing (NHF) funds from the Federal Mortgage Banks, due to non-posting of the deductions as a result of discrepancies in the schedules accompanying the payment of such deductions.

The auditing exercise will determine the payments made to the various receivers of the statutory and non-statutory payments by staff and on behalf of each staff of the FCTA from 2010 to 2022 for NHF, FCT Health Insurance Scheme, Pay As You Earn (PAYE) and Cooperative deductions.

The auditing exercise is to determine outstanding obligations for the FCTA to staff as well as ascertain individuals and officials responsible where deductions were not made and make recommendations as appropriate. 

“The auditing of these payroll remittances signifies our unwavering dedication to a robust and meticulous financial system as it allows us to validate that the amounts deducted from our employees’ salaries are promptly remitted to the rightful beneficiaries,” Adesola said.