IPPIS: Centralisation of payroll invalidates university autonomy ― ASUU

Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has re-iterated the
stand that her members will not enrol on the centralised payroll
system of the Federal Government because it invalidates their
autonomy.

ASUU President, Professor, Biodun Ogunyemi said this when he met
with the leadership of the National Assembly on a courtesy call
with a delegation and maintained that global practice of university
administration is guided by separation of power and distinct from
the civil service structure.

According to Professor Ogunyemi, the introduction of the
Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System (IPPIS) would
compound the irregular flow of funds to the university which has
suffered a significant setback in the last ten years.

He said that the system is not backed by law and the position of
the union is that there are unattended legal issues, negotiated
agreements, arising from the nature and peculiarity of Nigerian
universities which make the IPPIS unnecessary and inapplicable to
the university system.

Ogunyemi intimated the leadership of the Senate that part of its
Memorandum of Understanding with the Federal Government, the ASUU
agreement held on the 7th of February 2019, at the conference room
of the Minister of Labour and Employment that the government stated
that it was committed to the implementation of the FGN-ASUU 2013
Memorandum of Understanding.

Consequently, the government agreed that it will be releasing
the sum of twenty-five billion Naira (N25bn) only in the period of
April/May as a sign of good faith.

The Federal Government was to resume full implementation of the
MoU following the activation of the recommendations of the report
of the Stakeholders Workshop on sustainable funding for Education
in Nigeria, 27 – 28 November 2018.

The government was to address the issue of salary shortfall, the
fund earned academic allowances for which N20bn was earlier
approved to defray part of the outstanding arrears of earned
allowances in Nigerian universities.

ASUU said the agreement also stated that the initial N25bn was
to be released not later than 15th February 2019. The said sum will
be considered as the first tranche of payment, guided by the report
of the forensic audit.

Government had, as part of the agreement been expected to pay
the outstanding balance up to 2018 in four equal instalments within
a time frame of thirty-six months spread as follows November 2019;
August 2020; May 2021; and February 2022, while government shall
also mainstream further payments of the budget allowance into the
annual budgets, beginning with 2019 budget, presently under
consideration at the national assembly.

Chairman of the National Assembly and President of the Senate,
Ahmad Lawan, who received the ASUU delegation to the National
Assembly, expressed disappointment at how the government would
enter into an agreement with ASUU due to pressure.

More worrisome for the President of the Senate was the fact that
instead of solving the problem, it has escalated leading to more
problems.

Lawan’s reaction followed the disclosure of the eight-point
agreement between government and ASUU since 1992.

His words: “I have been part of Committee on Education since
2005 when I was in the House of Representatives and since I became
a Senator, I have always been a member of Committee on Education
and Tertiary Institutions.

“I know several agreements government entered which they know
they cannot enforce. Why would somebody enter agreement you know
you cannot implement because of pressure?” Lawan queried.