Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi branch of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has threatened to initiate process of withdrawal of the degree certificate awarded to the Director General of National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa by ATBU unless he told the truth about the University Transparency Accountability Solution (UTAS).
The threat was contained in a statement by the ASUU ATBU branch signed and read by the branch Chairperson, Ibrahim Ibrahim Inuwa and Secretary, Muhammad Muhammad Inti at the end of the meeting of the Executive on Thursday.
According to the statement, “The DG of NITDA is requested to retrace his steps to the path of truth and academic excellence for which the University (ATBU) had awarded him a degree, failure of which the Union will be left with no option but to initiate the process of withdrawal of his degree certificate as an alumnus of ATBU, Bauchi”.
It lamented saying that, “ASUU ATBU Bauchi is particularly sad that both the Minister of Communications Isa Ali Pantami and DG, NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa are products of our prestigious University (ATBU), known for its high standards of learning and discipline” .
“Consequently, ASUU-ATBU reminds The DG NITDA that the test on UTAS is a scientific procedure, we therefore urge you to allow a high sense of professionalism and ethics by NITDA Technical Team prevails and not take instructions from above that can compromise the integrity of NITDA as an agency to certify home grown software technologies”, the statement further contained.
The ASUU ATBU was reacting to claims by the NITDA DG that UTAS developed to replace the controversial IPPIS failed integrity and other tests that were required before it can be accepted to function.
According to the statement, the Director General (DG) of National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa on 9th March 2022 after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the prompting of the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ali Pantami made a claim that implied that the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) had failed integrity test, vulnerability test (security integrity), User Acceptance Test (UAT) and stress load test, as well as the hardware requirements.
“ASUU ATBU Bauchi is not surprise at the calculated attempt by agents of government particularly the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy and DG, NITDA to kill UTAS, a robust home-grown technology suitable for the management of the University System”, ASUU ATBU stated.
According to the ASUU ATBU, “Both men had demonstrated severe nationalism deficiency syndrome in their dealings and handling of critical issues as it concerns their offices and position in government revealing how ill-equipped they are with the current status of public Universities in Nigeria”.
The Union viewed the comments of the DG NITDA as highly misleading, unwarranted and totally unacceptable, it is a deliberate act to frustrate the deployment of UTAS,.
ASUU ATBU stated that, “We observe that at the time the DG NITDA was making such statements (ie 9th March 2022) he was aware of a joint test of the UTAS application by the ASUU Technical Team and NITDA to iron out discrepancies in the initial NITDA report”.
It stressed that, “The current test was arranged at a meeting involving NITDA, Ministry of Labour, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Communication and Digital Economy. To put the record straight, we are obliged to enlighten the public that UTAS was applauded and received positive commendations at different levels of government during its presentation to the leadership of the National Assembly, Joint Committee of NITDA, Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF). Vice Chancellors and Bursars of Federal Universities (end users), to say the least, UTAS has gone through seven different presentations”.
According to the Union, “Reports from the previous test by NITDA scored UTAS 85% in User Acceptance Test. The question as to where UTAS database will be warehoused had already been resolved by the Joint Technical Committee of both the NITDA and ASUU where it was unanimously agreed that UTAS shall be hosted at the National University Commission (NUC) (based on the University miscellaneous provision act on University Autonomy). We therefore wonder why the unpatriotic DG is misleading the general public by claiming “UTAS does not have database centre” (to host it)”.
ĆIt is however, ridiculous for NITDA to observe that it is ASUU’s responsibilities to provide fire extinguishers and man-power to manage the data centre where UTAS will be hosted while there are competent hands at the NUC to handle such”, it added.
It further said that, “It is also important to it straight to the DG that UTAS could not have been tested on stress load assessment when the software has not yet been deployed; perhaps it is their ill-intentions not to allow UTAS to pass. The attitudes of both the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy and the DG, NITDA negate the FGN Local Content Act of 2010”.
ASUU ATBU Noted that UTAS as an alternative to IPPIS is home-grown technology (which is one of the mandates of NITDA) while IPPIS is foreign which the FGN paid millions of dollars to obtain and still pay the consultants up to date.
It however insinuate that “May be this is why agents of government do not want anything that will dislodge IPPIS (who knows may be there are hand exchanges behind the scene)” .
It is imperative to note that NITDA Technical Team in a previous assessment, after conducting a comprehensive functionality test reported that out of 687 test cases, 529 cases were satisfactory, 156 cases queried and 2 cases cautioned representing 77% pass.
It further stated that after successful assessment, the NITDA report revealed that the software scored 77%. “How then can 77% be reported as fail? This is the question that well-meaning Nigerians should demand for answers to” .
ASUU ATBU therefore challenged NITDA to subject IPPIS (A World Bank recommended application) to the same test it applied on UTAS and make their findings public, “that is what is expected of a morally sound public officer” .
It explained that ASUU rejected IPPIS because it impinges on University autonomy by not allowing them to operate according to the laws that established them stressing that, “it particularly does not address the peculiarities of the University system” .
“Moreover, IPPIS has become the capital of corruption in government as evidenced by the 2019 audit report from the Office of the Auditor General of the Federation which exposed the monumental fraud in IPPIS amounting to 4.394 billion (Tony Akowe. The Nation 9 January, 2022), recently, Daily Trust newspaper also reported that over 246 NECO staff had not received their salaries since 2015 (Abubakar Akote, Daily Trust 10 March, 2022)”.
ASUU therefore wondered why agents of government are insisting on IPPIS in spite of its obvious weaknesses, may be this will allow them continue to steal public funds.
The objective of developing UTAS is to replace IPPIS as a payment platform and personnel management in the University system, UTAS has the advantage of linking human resource and the payment platforms in a seamless manner stating that, “We will therefore no longer tolerate the delay tactics of NITDA Technical Team and their collaborators for the endless test on UTAS” .
The Minister of Communication and Digital Economy should be able to separate his official responsibility from his personal interest stressing that, “It is our hope that there is no attempt by the Minister and his agents to frustrate UTAS due to ASUUS’ principled stand on the failure of his appointment as a Professor by Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO) to satisfy the laid down rules and regulations governing such appointment of the University.
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