IPPIS: ASUU UNIBEN says no threat or blackmail will sway its resolve

The Edo State chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has reiterated its determination to reject the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).

In a joint statement in Benin yesterday by the Chairman, Mrs Joy Omoregbe and the secretary, Mr Fabian Amechina, the union vowed that no amount of threat or blackmail will sway its resolve.

They said that they were appalled “by the continuing charade of the office Accountant-General of the Federation(OAGF) which aimed at forcibly implementing the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System(IPPIS) in Nigeria federal universities”.

“We have equally come to the conclusion that it is the federal government’s ploy to renege on its agreement with our union in furtherance of its intent on abdicating its duty and responsibility to adequately fund education in Nigeria.

“In particular, we note that government is scheming to abandon the long-overdue renegotiation of the ASUU-FGN 2009 Agreement and also avoid fully honouring the February 2019 Memorandum of Action(MoA) it freely signed with ASUU.

ALSO READ: 153 bag first class as FUTA holds 31st convocation

“And, for the umpteenth time, we restate our unequivocal rejection of IPPIS and vow that no amount of threat or blackmail will sway our resolve.”

“Based on this, ASUU Uniben resolved that its position that members should not enrol into IPPIS stands and is reaffirmed by the Congress.

“Also, it unanimously aligned itself with the NEC declaration to call out its members on a nationwide strike if any member of the union is victimised for refusal to enrol into the IPPIS platform in the spirit of ‘an injury to one is an injury to all.”

Going further, ASUU Uniben said it identifies with the decision of ASUU NEC to engage the federal government on the outstanding issues of the renegotiation of the 2009 agreement and the February 2019 MoA and has resolved to comply fully if ASUU is compelled to declare a nationwide strike should the federal government renege on the full implementation of any aspect of both the agreement and the Memorandum of Agreement.

They called on all and sundry to join forces with ASUU in order to salvage the country from the “stranglehold of this regime of insensitive leadership”.