The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has bemoaned what it described as acts of terrorism by the Federal Government targeted at compelling academic staff in federal universities to subscribe to the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information (IPPIS) platform.
These acts of terrorism, according to ASUU, include subjecting academic staff to hunger by non-payment of salaries for February and March and forcing members to submission using intimidation and lies.
Speaking with Tribune Online on the situation of his members, Chairman, ASUU, University of Ibadan chapter, Professor Ayo Akinwole, said it was sheer wickedness for the Federal Government to make academics vulnerable by putting them in a situation that will make them suffer.
Akinwole said the last time ASUU members in federal universities received their full salary in December 2019, while it received only its net salary less deductions in January 2020.
He said members are forced to grapple with the decision of the Federal Government not pay its February and March salaries except members enroll on IPPIS.
“There is nothing on ground that has prevented the Federal Government from paying salaries to our members. There is nothing we are discussing with them that would stop them from paying salaries. It is just sheer wickedness on their path.
“It is just the state’s way of terrorising its members. They see people as being vulnerable and they feel the only way they can force people to do their bidding is to put them in a situation that will make them suffer.
“They have unleashed terrorism on our members and when you are fighting a terrorist organization, you don’t disclose all your strategies.
“All the antics of this government has shown that they are terrorising our members. Terrorists will use all power within its means to force you into submission, hunger, intimidation, lies.
“You can imagine someone in the ministry of education saying that vice chancellors are the ones sponsoring ASUU, that’s laughable.
“That we are here is due to their recalcitrant attitude in not honouring their own willingly entered into agreement with our union.
“Our discussion on this has been going on since 2009 when we signed an agreement which they have not fully implemented eleven years after.
“We are earning far less than what it takes to survive. Government knows what they want to achieve which the resolution of our members is that that will not be achievable.
“Our members will wriggle out of this matter; our members will survive. Things may be a little bit hard but we are pushing on with our resolution as far as our demands with government are concerned,” Akinwole said.
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