THE recent decision of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to take on the Federal Government over the union’s inclusion in the Integrated Personal Payment Information System (IPPIS) has generated a lot of controversy among Nigerians. The question is being asked whether the union has a hidden agenda. According to the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), Ahmad Idris, IPPIS is a new technological system managed by his office. The IPPIS policy is binding on all staff on the Federal Government’s payroll and is aimed at integrating its establishments, so ASUU alone has no reason whatsoever to resist it even when all other federal civil servants have agreed to comply. The Accountant General accused the union of trying to denigrate the system which, according to him, has enjoyed wide public acceptance as a way of plugging leakages in the country. Fighting against a holistic policy that enabled the Federal Government to save over N230 billion in two years is an endorsement of corruption.
The union’s action defies public interest and so it risks losing the credibility and public sympathy it has enjoyed over the years. The reason for the integration, according to Nigeria’s Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmad, is to monitor finance and ensure transparency and accountability particularly in detecting ghost workers. For this reason, President MuhammaduBuhari, during the 2020 budget presentation at National Assembly, directed all federal ministries, departments and agencies to enroll in the system. He ordered the stoppage of salary payment to any agency the failed to comply with the directive by the end of October.
This directive seemingly does not fare well with ASUU. The union kicked against it, arguing that it is an attempt to violate university autonomy as enshrined in the Universities Miscellaneous Provision Amendment Act 2003. It is actually surprising that this is coming from the academics. I am sure the system will undoubtedly curtail corruption and enthrone transparency and accountability. But the union is trying by hook or by crook to discredit and resist it. This actually confirms public suspicion that the union is simply at war with the government’s anti-corruption crusade. It is clear that if the union is subsumed into the system, it will detect many visiting lecturers to various universities and institutions. Lecturers are to be affiliated to only one university or institution of their choice and are entitled to 50 per cent of their salary as recommended by Nigerian University Commission (NUC). The fear that the integration into IPPIS may expose violators of this provision is obvious. It is the reason for the resistance. If the integration into the system is not targeted at reducing lecturers salaries, then why the rift? This tell us that the union may have a hidden agenda beyond the so-called university autonomy. ASUU should reconsider its stand on this issue and comply with the FG’s directive for a better Nigeria.
- Musa is a student of Information and Media Studies at Bayero University, Kano.
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