The Office of the Accountant‑General of the Federation (OAGF) has responded to allegations of non‑compliance concerning salary deductions affecting 85 staff members of the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital (UATH) in Gwagwalada. The accusations were aired on the Brekete Family Programme, a radio show, on 15 September 2025.
In a statement released by the Director of Press, Bawa Mokwa, the OAGF confirmed that it had intervened and instructed all implicated micro‑finance banks and entities to halt the deductions and to refund the amounts already taken from the employees. The directive was issued in accordance with an agreement reached earlier, which required the banks to stop any further deductions.
Despite this, two micro‑finance banks—Lift Above Poverty Organization (LAPO) and REGENT‑Microfinance Bank—continued to deduct salaries in August 2025. Upon discovering the error, both institutions were ordered to return the deducted sums. LAPO has completed the refunds, while REGENT‑Microfinance Bank is currently processing its repayments.
During the refund process, it was observed that five staff members received excess payments from LAPO. The representative of the affected employees, Mr. Akowe Job, has been advised to coordinate with LAPO to ensure the surplus funds are returned. Mr. Job later issued an apology, stating that the radio station had not been fully briefed on the measures the OAGF had already taken before the broadcast.
The dispute originated when 85 UATH employees filed a suit in the FCT Area Court, Bwari, alleging fraudulent salary deductions by Hi‑Breed Consults Services, Baxxmort Construction Company, and twenty micro‑finance banks. Following a court order in favor of the staff, a meeting was held between the former Accountant‑General of the Federation, Oluwatoyin Sakirat Madein, and the Brekete Family team. An agreement was reached to suspend all further deductions from the affected employees’ salaries starting February 2025, pending resolution of the substantive case.
The OAGF’s intervention and the directives to the micro‑finance banks aim to resolve the salary‑deduction issue and provide relief to the affected employees, underscoring the importance of prompt regulatory action in protecting workers’ rights.
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