ASUU Seeks FG’s Approval for Own Version of IPPIS – TheNigerialawyer

* Awaits Senate’s intervention in dispute

As the federal government-ordered enrolment of university
lecturers into the Integrated Payroll Personnel Information System
(IPPIS) enters its third day thursday, the Academic Staff Union of
Universities (ASUU) has proposed an alternative to the
controversial payment platform, which has pitted it against the
government, Thisday report.

ASUU National President told THISDAY wednesday that the union
was waiting for the federal government to approve it and to also
call it for dialogue on its proposal.

He, however, reiterated the union’s position that none of its
members has so far enrolled into the federal government’s payment
system and the union would not change its position to reject
IPPIS.

Ogunyemi added that it is only the Senate President, Dr. Ahmad
Lawal, that had approached the union and promised to intervene on
the matter.

“We have not changed our position. We have proposed to
government to give us opportunity to present our alternative to
IPPIS but they have not responded. We are waiting for the Senate
President who has promised to look into the matter,” he said.

When asked to comment on reports that some of the lecturers have
enrolled into the IPPIS scheme, Ogunyemi said: “You can go and
check in the universities yourself. As far as I know, our loyal
members are not registering with IPPIS, they understand what our
positions are and why we insist on it,” he said.

Speaking on the IPPIS, the Chairman of ASUU, University of
Ibadan chapter, Prof. Deji Omole, told THISDAY that no lecturer at
the University of Ibadan has defied ASUU’s directive over
IPPIS.

Omole said the university was part of the decision by the
leadership of the union not to enroll into the IPPIS, stating that
there is no way they can go against the decision.

He stated that no member of the union would registrar into the
scheme, noting that that was the decision of the congress held on
Monday.
He said: “We are part of the decision not to register and as far as
ASUU in UI is concerned, we would not register. One thing that we
must not lose sight of is the fact we are not slaves and not second
class citizens; we are scholars.”

The Chairman of ASUU, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi
chapter, Dr. Adamu Babayo, has also vowed that no amount of
misinformation, misrepresentation, intimidation or harassment will
make the union succumb to pressure and enroll into IPPIS.

He said during their meeting on Monday, their rejection of the
scheme was reaffirmed.

“Our position as a union is a total and comprehensive rejection
of the Accountant General on registering our members,” he
added.
Babayo explained that nobody has come to ATBU for any biometric
capture of their members “not to even start talking of capturing
our biometrics and there is no going back in whatever they do.”

Asked if they would bow to pressure if the salaries of its
members are stopped until they are enrolled into the IPPIS, he said
the government had stopped their salaries several times in the past
but the issues were processed by the union and solved.

He denied the existence of a faction in the union, saying the
masterminds of the faction are on suspension.

Also, ASUU, Benin zone, has vowed not to comply with the federal
government’s directive to key into the unified payroll system.
Speaking to THISDAY yesterday, the Zonal Chairman of ASUU
comprising Edo, Delta and Bayelsa States, Prof. Fred Esumeh, said
members of the union had been directed to shun the enrolment.

The University of Benin chapter of ASUU has also vowed to resist
any attempt by the office of the Accountant General of the
Federation to force its members to register with the IPPIS.

A statement titled: “IPPIS – The Truth of The Matter,” signed by
its Chairman, Mr. Monday Omoregie Joy and Secretary, Mr. Fabs C.
Amaechina in Benin City, said compelling its members to register
with the IPPIS would negate the autonomy of the Nigerian federal
universities as enshrined in the Universities Amendment Act 2003
(also called Universities Autonomy Act No1., 2007) as it would fail
to accommodate the peculiarities of the Nigerian university
system.

“For the avoidance of doubt, ASUU UNIBEN remains an integral and
unwavering party to the collective decision of the union to resist
the forcible implementation of IPPIS by the office of the
Accountant General of the Federation as (I) it is in gross
violation of the autonomy of Nigerian federal universities as
enshrined in the Universities (Miscellaneous Provisions) Amendment
Act 2003 (also called Universities Autonomy Act No1., 2007). And
(II) it fails to accommodate the peculiarities of the Nigerian
University System (NUS)”, the statement said.

The statement alleged that IPPIS was driven primarily by selfish
interests and motivations rather than the much vaunted claim about
fighting corruption.

At the University of Ilorin, the ASUU Chairman, Professor Salihu
Moyosore Ajao, told THISDAY that “our members would not enroll into
the IPPIS because it is unconstitutional and illegal.

“We are going to fight it till the end and if it is strike that
can resolve it, the members of ASUU in this university would join
other universities in the country.”

Ajao accused those behind the IPPIS of seeking the collapse of
the university system.
He, however, advised the federal government to listen to the words
of wisdom from the Senate president so as to move the education
forward in the nation’s universities.