The disagreement between the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the Federal Government regarding the removal of the union from the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) has caused some tension.
Reports have surfaced indicating that the IPPIS for federal tertiary institutions has been deactivated, following the government’s directive to exclude these institutions from the system. However, ASUU’s National President, Prof Emmanuel Osodeke, clarified that universities are still required to submit their salary data to IPPIS for verification and screening, despite the reported removal.
ASUU has been critical of the IPPIS template, arguing that it does not adequately address issues such as arrears of promotion, study leave allowance, or responsibility allowance for university lecturers. The union also raised concerns about the age limit imposed by IPPIS, which contradicts the retirement age for professors as stipulated by university policies.
In response to the IPPIS controversy, ASUU proposed an alternative solution called the University Transparency and Accountability Solution, but it was not adopted by the government. Other university unions were reportedly unaware of the IPPIS developments.
CONUA, another academic staff union, has demanded the release of withheld salaries by the government, stressing that the non-payment could lead to a crisis in universities. The group emphasized that its members did not participate in any strike action that led to the withholding of salaries, and called on the government to adhere to the court judgment affirming CONUA’s independence as a union.