FG Vs ASUU Over IPPIS: Senate To Intervene
The Senate is set to intervene in the face-off between the Federal Government and Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), over FG’s plan to include Varsity workers into the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).
Speaking Monday in Abuja when the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) led by its President, Professor Biodun Ogunyemi visited him in his office, President of the Senate, Senator Ahmad Lawan noted that it has become imperative to hear from the Federal Government on the IPPIS.
He said that he was worried that the Federal Government will sign agreements it knows are difficult and sometimes impossible to implement.
Meanwhile, ASUU President, Biodun Ogunyemi told the Senate that the introduction of IPPIS into Federal Universities will only compound the problem of regular flow of fund and personnel management, just as he said that it would not resolve the problem of regular flow of fund.
Speaking further, the President of the Senate, Senator Lawan said, “We are all in this together and we believe that the Nigerian education sector especially the tertiary needs serious support. We know that you have made some sacrifices and that you have put in your best with the little given to you.
“The legislature is always prepared to take necessary steps to ensure that the tertiary institutions remain open and functional.
“We are part of government and I believe that issues like this should be resolved. My worry has always been why government will sign agreements that know are difficult and sometimes impossible to implement.
“I believe that we should be looking at all the issues and suggestions that have been raised.
“I’m happy that you have made your point and I’m also happy that the federal ministry of finance is thinking of addressing the issues as well. I will like to know how they intend to do it.
I’m meeting with the Minister of finance to tell us what exactly is to be done because we do not want any strike.
“As for funding, the truth is we can only do our best at this stage. We have serious financial challenges in terms of budgetary allocations. This one should be known to everyone. But it is also our duty as the national assembly to ensure that any revenue due to the federal government of Nigeria is captured and remitted properly.
So that when we have sufficient revenues, we can fund our educational sector better.
“We’ll work hard on this but I Want to assure you that in the legislature, you have partners. We will work with you to ensure that we resolve these issues. We’ll start with you today and then we’ll invite the government’s side let them tell us what they are doing. “When you say government will fund universities, government will have to check how these funds are utilised but then, there have to be a mutual understanding that when they provide funds, the funds are properly channeled and the tertiary institutions can account for the funds.”
Speaking further, Ogunyemi said, “The introduction of IPPIS is not backed by law. The Union’s position is that there are extant legal provisions and negotiated agreements arising from the nature and peculiarities of Nigerian universities, which make IPPIS unnecessary and inapplicable to the universities.”
According to him, the goal of IPPIS as said by the Accountant-General of the Federation was to ensure transparency, accountability and probity with specific objectives.
“The objectives include centralisation of payroll systems of the Federal Government, facilitating easy storage, updating and retrieval of personnel records for administrative and pension processing.”
Ogunyemi who noted that the proposed forceful enrollment of staff of universities in the IPPIS would amount to subjecting the universities to the direction and control of OAGF with respect to the payment of staff remuneration, salaries and wages, said, “It should be noted that IPPIS is not a home-grown initiative, rather it is a prescription of the World Bank. ” Its ultimate consequence is to create anarchy and therefore, retard the growth and development of Nigeria.”
The ASUU President said if the government was serious in curbing corrupt practices through the payroll and personnel management, the best pathway was to make the Governing Councils work, he said