IPPIS: ASUU, FG, Reveal Details Of Meeting

The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has revealed that it has reached a concrete proposal with the Federal Government over the warning strike.

The development was revealed by the President of ASUU, Biodun Ogunyemi while speaking with newsmen in Abuja on Tuesday.

Dr Ogunyemi stated this at the end of the meeting at the Ministry of Labour and Employment. The meeting between the government and the union started at 3 PM and ended at about 11 PM on Tuesday.

Recall that ASUU commenced the warning strike on March 9, 2020, over issues of the revitalization of universities, earned academic allowance.

Other issues that were attended to was the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) and other issues relating to university funding.

The ASUU President noted that the leadership of the union will meet with its members to take a decision in the report of the meeting with the Federal Government.

He said, “Those of us here cannot give the final pronouncements on any of the proposals and we have assured the government that we will report faithfully to our principals and get back to government accordingly.”

“We want to assure all Nigerians that we are concern on going back to our work like every other person because we know that is where we find happiness, we are not happy outside our classrooms, our laboratories and our libraries.”

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, confirmed that both parties had fruitful deliberations on the issue of IPPIS.

He said, “We made a new proposal on behalf of FG to ASUU. These issues range from funding, revitalization of public universities, earned academic allowances, salary shortfalls in Federal University of Akure and the issue of state universities.”

“We also addressed payment of earned academic allowances to the University of Ilorin. On the Nigerian University Pension Commission, the certificate was issued last year but operational certificate had not been issued because we do not have a permanent PENCOM board in place.”

“We have made a proposal on how NUPENCO board will be able to fulfil its obligation, especially in terms of preparation of annual audit reports.”

“Issue of visitation panel to the universities has been on the table since last year. The Government side made progress and that approval has been gotten, and we are waiting for the gazette of the membership of the visitation panel.”