NHF Verification: Defaulters Won’t Receive August Salary-FCTA

By: Sunday Shekwonya

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), has warned staff that are yet to update and verify their data on National Housing Fund (NHF), to do so on or before end of July, else, they won’t receive August monthly salary.

Accordingly, the FCT Administration had put a call to all its Staff and Retirees over a month to update their NHF data online to ensure that staff in the services of the FCT Administration and Retirees take advantage of the window provided and get maximum benefits accruing; as some of the verified staff have started receiving alert of their outstanding contribution for the year 2022 – 2023

The Coordinating Director of Verification, NHF, Treasury and Budget, FCTA, Mr. Musa Lere, gave the warning, in his office while holding a meeting with the management team of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), in Abuja, Tuesday.

Lere, who expressed dissatisfaction over the low compliance on the update and verification exercise, said that the exercise has lingered more than enough to be extended for more than two months on something that would have just lasted for less than two weeks.

He emphasized that the Administration has taken drastic decision to stop the monthly salary of Staff that have deliberately refused to comply with this directive given by the FCT Administration; which is meant to ensure transparency and accountability in the Staff/Retirees NHF contributions and what they must have accrued or accruing.

The Director reiterated that any Staff that is yet to comply with the update directives is a deliberate attempt to frustrate the aim of the new development, because the sensitization exercise was conducted few weeks ago to educate and enlighten the staff about the need to update their data, which he said would enhance the contributions processes, receiving alert as at and when due, which is expected to pave way for accurate contributions to the contributors.

He, however, disclosed that Hardcopy Forms, with the same information as seen online, would be made available for only the FCT Retirees and to obtain them from the Desk Officers of their various departments and fill them appropriately and return them after filling.

Lere warned the Retirees who are concerned about the Hardcopy Forms not to give out money before obtaining the form, because the forms are not meant to be sold but to be issued to the appropriate persons for free.

The Director revealed that the forms would be filled and endorsed by the Heads of in all the Secretariats, Departments, and Agencies and be obtained through the Desk Officers of the various departments or agencies.

Lere said that the portal for NHF data update would be closed at the end of July and won’t be available for any Staff nor Retirees to carry out the update exercise.

He, thus, advised Staff and Retirees to hurry up and do the needful by making the necessary and relevant information available as demanded on the online form provided to all Staff and Retirees so as to avoid being left unpaid of the monthly salary and above all, payment complications with regards to NHF in future.

Lere, who also emphasized on the little or zero stress on the verification exercise, called on the Staff who are yet to be verified to go to the FCTA Archives where the exercise is ongoing for all Staff.

Also speaking during the meeting, the Zonal Manager of Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), Abuja zonal office, Mrs. Ene Nduka-Nwagbo, appreciated the Coordinating Director of Verification, NHF, Treasury and Budget, FCTA, Mr. Musa Lere and the FCT Administration at large for their massive support over the recent NHF data update.

The Zonal Manager pleaded with all Staff and Retirees of FCT to assist the Management of FMBN by complying with the update directives for the purpose of accountability and transparency in the NHF accounts of the active Staff and Retirees.

Abuja Digest reports that, the Act 3 of 1992 established the National Housing Fund (NHF) making it mandatory for all employees to contribute 2.5 percent of their monthly basic salaries.