IPPIS: Don’t blame us for strike, FG testing our resolve — ASUU

THE Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Ibadan zone, has declared that the union is already oiling its machine for industrial action following the failure of the association’s leaders and the representatives of the Federal Government to reach an agreement on the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information Systems (IPPIS) recently introduced by the government.

This was disclosed by the zonal coordinator, ASUU, Dr Ade Adejumo, while addressing members of the media at the ASUU office, Mellanby Hall, University of Ibadan, on Sunday.

Adejumo, who was flanked by the union’s president, University of Ibadan chapter, Professor Deji Omole and the chapter’s investment secretary, Professor Ayo Akinwole, insisted that the Federal Government sold lies to the public on the position of ASUU on IPPS matter.

ASUU’s position now hinges on the declaration by the Accountant-General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris and the acting Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Dr Folashade Yemi-Esan, during the week that going by the commitment of the Federal Government and the directive of the President Muhammadu Buhari, will stop salaries of all federal workers who are yet to enroll on IPPIS by October 31.

But Dr Adejumo disclosed that the association’s resolve to reject the proposed payment pattern has nothing to do with corruption as being claimed by the government and appealed to the government not to drag the union into politics.

He noted that the government had enough data already collated if it needs data on civil servants in the university system, saying the peculiarities of the university system might bring down education in the country if the government is allowed to go ahead with the IPPIS, alleged to have been foisted on the government by people in the corridors of power.

Adejumo, who listed some of the reasons why the union rejected the plan stated that “the IPPIS clearly violates the law the establishes university which made the council the highest decision-making body in the universities; that IPPIS contravenes the ASUU-FGN agreements of 1992; 2001 and 2009, IPPIS does not capture the peculiarities of academics in Nigerian universities and failure to respect the ASUU-FGN Agreement 2009 agreement and the looming crisis.”

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He added that the “the union is aware that the plan of the political elite is to deny the children of the poor access to university education by killing public universities so that their own private universities can survive. At a point, the union reported the chairman of the negotiating team to the Honourable Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, who intervened and promised that the re-negotiation will be concluded in six weeks. This six weeks deadline has since elapsed and we are on the same spot.”

On the solution to the current imbroglio, Dr Adejumo hinted that “our union, before now, has been on a long stretch of endurance on account of government’s recalcitrance, deceit and unwillingness to renegotiate the agreement it voluntarily signed with our union in 2009.

“You will agree with us that between 2009 and now our members have suffered untold hardships and deprivations, the university system has also continued to suffer and disintegrate. It now appears that government is taking the endurance of our members for weakness in its planned forceful enrolment of academics in Nigerian universities on the IPPIS.

“Our union will not allow this government to continue to treat our members, who by their proficiencies are the best brains in the land, with disdain and disrespect. We will protect the sanctity of the laws of the land particularly as they relate to the areas of our calling. To this end, our members are poised to pursue another patriotic struggle that will assert sanity in the university system and in the country at large. The tools of the struggle are now being primed and oiled, the union will have no blame when they begin to grind. Enough said.”

He added that instead of dissipating energy on the IPPIS scheme despite the fact the union had proffered various alternatives to the government to resolve this, requested the Federal Government to make public several white papers on staff and financial auditing to the public.

 

We are not ready to accept IPPIS— COEASU

The College of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU) has disclosed that its members are not ready to accept the IPPIS for now, says the system has alot of corrections.

The national president of COEASU, represented by the deputy president and zonal coordinator, North-West, Comrade Muawiyya Usman, stated this during the inauguration of newly-elected COEASU officials Federal College of Education Technical (FCET), Gusau chapter.

The COEASU president maintained that their members will not join the system (IPPIS) until some irregularities raised by the union were addressed.

“It needs to be corrected before our members would be convinced to accept the system(IPPIS),” he said.

According to him, COEASU was in critical situation to accept IPPIS for now.

He advised members to be careful, saying “we have to be careful and logical in enrolling in IPPIS.”

He revealed that COEASU will soon come out with its stand over the issue of IPPIS.

He advised the newly-inaugurated executives of COEASU, FCET, Gusau chapter to always have fear of Allah in discharging their duties. “Remember as leaders, you would be accountable for all what you have done before the creator.”

He charged the new executives to adhere themselves to the working documents of the union. “Be very objective, don’t personalise issues, but as a union, you sometimes agree to disagree,” he said.

He urged the management of FCET Gusau to allow the COEASU to work for the development of the state and the country at large.

Those elected are Dr Shehu Muhammad Jabaka as chairman; Dr Naalah Danbaba, vice chairman; Mohammed Abubakar Maru, secretary; Kuburat Abubakar, treasurer, while the position of financial secretary went to Lawali Mohammed Sokoto.

Other officials also elected are Yunusa Badamasi as internal auditor; Aliyu Sarkin rafi, ex-officio; Nasiru Kura, ex-officio; Ahmed Tiyabo, social director and the position of public relations officer went to Aminu Mohammed.

In his acceptance speech, the new chairman of COEASU FCET Gusau, Dr Jabaka, assured members of his leadership’s readiness to fight illegal practices.