Richard Ginika Izuora
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), on Friday, September 4, recommended to the federal government to adopt the University Transparency, Accountability Solution (UTAS) in place of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).
The Union assured this will help end the issue of irregularity of salary payments among university staff.
This was contained in a statement issued by the Sokoto Zonal Coordinator of ASUU, Jamilu Shehu; during a symposium at the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua University, Katsina.
Shehu said UTAS is the only credible alternative to IPPIS would tackle the prevailing salary irregularities.
He said the IPPIS, unveiled by the federal government; has failed to address the major issues that border around personnel information; and payroll system that necessitated the face-off between government and the union.
He affirmed that IPPIS does not recognize agreements entered into; between the government and university-based trade unions; as well as does not ensure simultaneous payment of employees’ salaries and third party deductions.
The ASUU zonal coordinator said: “We therefore implore that UTAS is far more than just an alternative to IPPIS which does not respect university peculiarities.”
He said the development of UTAS is an attestation to the capacity of Nigerian scholars and researchers to addressing the developmental challenges bedevilling university system in the country.
He, however, lamented that five-month salaries of his members are being withheld by the federal government because they rejected the IPPIS.
“As we speak, five months salaries of our members at UNIMAID; MOUAU in particular; and others across the universities are still be withheld by AGF on account of non-registration on IPPIS,” he added.
Also, thenAcademic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Sokoto Zone, has called on the National Universities Commission (NUC); to investigate alleged frauds by Vice Chancellors (VCs) of some universities across the country.
The ASUU Coordinator of the zone, Malam Jamilu Shehu, in a statement in Katsina on Friday, September 4; said that vice chancellors of some universities were defrauding unsuspecting students and parents.
The zone comprises Usumanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto; Umaru Musa Yaradua University Katsina; and Kebbi State University of Science and Technology, Aliero.
Others are Federal University, Dutsin-ma, Katsina State; Federal University, Gusau; and Federal University, Birnin Kebbi.
ASUU said that some VCs were deceiving and defrauding unsuspecting students and parents by pretending to have kept the academic session running, despite the closure of universities by the Federal Government due to COVID-19.