Varsity Lecturers On Govt Payroll Can’t Claim Autonomy — Ngige

Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, has
declared autonomy of the university system as advanced by the
Academic Staff Union of University (ASUU) cannot work as long as
government is the one paying the lecturers.

The Minister stated that autonomy of the universities can only
work when the Governing Council generates its resources to pay
workers.

Ngige said these while defending the budget of his Ministry
before the Senate Committee on Labour and Employment on
Wednesday.

Striking lecturers have refused to call of their eight-month
strike because of disagreement with government over the Integrated
Personnel Payroll System (IPPIS), claiming that enrolling on the
platform would erode the autonomy of the university system.

In a statement by his media aide, Emmanuel Nzomiwu, the Minister
said the Federal Government was addressing the strike by ASUU
holistically to ensure that all other unions in the university
system were carried along.

Reacting to the concerns expressed by the Senators on the
prolonged ASUU strike, Ngige told the committee the Federal
Government has met most of the demands of the union.

“Out of the eight demands of ASUU, the government has solved
five. We have made N50 billion available. A total sum of N20
billion for the revitalisation of the universities and N30 billion
for Earned Academic Allowances (EAA).

“The union agreed and went back to their members, only to return
and say that the money for EAA should be for ASUU members alone,
excluding other unions, namely, SSANU, NASU and NAAT,” Ngige
said.

He explained the Federal Government cannot ignore the other
unions as such could be counter-productive to the smooth running of
the university system.

“We cannot ignore the other unions whose services are
indispensable for full functioning of the university. If we ignore
them, even if ASUU calls off the strike, the other unions will down
tools-close the lecture rooms, the libraries, the laboratories- and
in fact, even the university gate,” the Minister said.

On the contentious issue of IPPIS, the Minister said the
University Transparency and Accountability Solutions (UTAS), which
ASUU brought as an alternative has been sent to the National
Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) for
assessment.

Ngige however faulted the claim by ASUU that IPPIS would erode
university autonomy.

“They said that university autonomy is being eroded. Autonomy
cannot work when government is paying the lecturers. It can work
only when the governing council generates its own resources to pay
workers.

“IPPIS has blocked all leakages and exposed those who are not
paying taxes, as well as those who underpay.

“So, we are meeting again with ASUU soon, so that they can also
hear that other unions in the university have developed their own
payment system against UTAS. Do you now realise why we are tackling
this problem holistically?” the Minister asked the lawmakers.

Addressing the concerns of the senators on the worrying
unemployment situation in the country Ngige called for systemic
re-evaluation of the educational system with emphasis on technical
education.

He stressed the needs to manage resources and make concerted
efforts to create jobs through multi-lateral and multifaceted
approaches.

“White collar job syndrome has afflicted us. We have green and
blue collar jobs that will feed people and give them shelter.
Agriculture can give us jobs.

“We have Anchor Borrowers but we can do more. The educational
curriculum is straight jacketed. That is why everybody is in the
labour market looking for jobs.

“It is for us to wear our thinking caps and see what can be
done. We budgeted 60 percent for constituency projects to train
people in empowerment.

“But, when you give empowerment to people, they sell it. They
tell you that this is not the kind of job they want to do. They
don’t want to engage in soap making or baking, welding and
fabrication.

“Even mechatronics, which we are encouraging because of its
computer based component, they are not going there,” the Minister
added.

Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, has
declared autonomy of the university system as advanced by the
Academic Staff Union of University (ASUU) cannot work as long as
government is the one paying the lecturers.

The Minister stated that autonomy of the universities can only
work when the Governing Council generates its resources to pay
workers.

Ngige said these while defending the budget of his Ministry
before the Senate Committee on Labour and Employment on
Wednesday.

Striking lecturers have refused to call of their eight-month
strike because of disagreement with government over the Integrated
Personnel Payroll System (IPPIS), claiming that enrolling on the
platform would erode the autonomy of the university system.

In a statement by his media aide, Emmanuel Nzomiwu, the Minister
said the Federal Government was addressing the strike by ASUU
holistically to ensure that all other unions in the university
system were carried along.

Reacting to the concerns expressed by the Senators on the
prolonged ASUU strike, Ngige told the committee the Federal
Government has met most of the demands of the union.

“Out of the eight demands of ASUU, the government has solved
five. We have made N50 billion available. A total sum of N20
billion for the revitalisation of the universities and N30 billion
for Earned Academic Allowances (EAA).

“The union agreed and went back to their members, only to return
and say that the money for EAA should be for ASUU members alone,
excluding other unions, namely, SSANU, NASU and NAAT,” Ngige
said.

He explained the Federal Government cannot ignore the other
unions as such could be counter-productive to the smooth running of
the university system.

“We cannot ignore the other unions whose services are
indispensable for full functioning of the university. If we ignore
them, even if ASUU calls off the strike, the other unions will down
tools-close the lecture rooms, the libraries, the laboratories- and
in fact, even the university gate,” the Minister said.

On the contentious issue of IPPIS, the Minister said the
University Transparency and Accountability Solutions (UTAS), which
ASUU brought as an alternative has been sent to the National
Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) for
assessment.

Ngige however faulted the claim by ASUU that IPPIS would erode
university autonomy.

“They said that university autonomy is being eroded. Autonomy
cannot work when government is paying the lecturers. It can work
only when the governing council generates its own resources to pay
workers.

“IPPIS has blocked all leakages and exposed those who are not
paying taxes, as well as those who underpay.

“So, we are meeting again with ASUU soon, so that they can also
hear that other unions in the university have developed their own
payment system against UTAS. Do you now realise why we are tackling
this problem holistically?” the Minister asked the lawmakers.

Addressing the concerns of the senators on the worrying
unemployment situation in the country Ngige called for systemic
re-evaluation of the educational system with emphasis on technical
education.

He stressed the needs to manage resources and make concerted
efforts to create jobs through multi-lateral and multifaceted
approaches.

“White collar job syndrome has afflicted us. We have green and
blue collar jobs that will feed people and give them shelter.
Agriculture can give us jobs.

“We have Anchor Borrowers but we can do more. The educational
curriculum is straight jacketed. That is why everybody is in the
labour market looking for jobs.

“It is for us to wear our thinking caps and see what can be
done. We budgeted 60 percent for constituency projects to train
people in empowerment.

“But, when you give empowerment to people, they sell it. They
tell you that this is not the kind of job they want to do. They
don’t want to engage in soap making or baking, welding and
fabrication.

“Even mechatronics, which we are encouraging because of its
computer based component, they are not going there,” the Minister
added.