IPPIS: FG Lying To Nigerians About ASUU Strike – Official

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has accused the federal government of sending wrong information and impression to members of the public regarding the lingering strike action by members of the union.

Uzo Onyibinama, ASUU Coordinator for the Owerri zone during a press briefing held at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State where he gave an update on the lingering ASUU strike, noted that the proposed migration to the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) is not the only reason for the strike.

He added that even if the government agrees not to migrate the union to the IPPIS platform, the strike would still continue until all ASUU demands are met.

He explained that contrary to the narrative been pushed by the government, the main reason for the strike was the government’s inability to keep and fulfill previous agreements with ASUU.

Onyibinama, therefore, urged the duo of Ministers Chris Ngige and Emeka Nwajiuba to desist from running to the press to feed Nigerians with half-truths but rather focus on meeting the demands of the union and solving the challenges facing the nation’s public universities.

He said, “For the avoidance of doubt, the issues in contention remain revitalisation fund for public universities, arrears of Earned Academic Allowances, visitation to universities, proliferation of state universities and issues of governance in them, and conclusion of the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN-ASUU Agreement.

“The later issue of IPPIS was a new introduction and a diversion as no university in the world runs such a system.

“Instead of apologizing to the Nigerians and hiding their heads in shame on the serial failures of Governments particularly the present Government which came on the mantra of ‘change’, the duo of Ministers Chris Ngige and Emeka Nwajiuba have been feeding Nigerians with lies and half-truth.

“Ministers Ngige and Nwajiuba have on many occasions on various media organizations said that agreement have been reached on virtually all the issues that necessitated the seven months old strike.

“They should please tell Nigerians, who are their masters, those agreements that have been reached and implemented. As far as our Union is concerned, no agreement has been reached on any of the demands.

“So, instead of constantly running to the press, Ngige and Nwajiuba should sit down and painstakingly do the work that they are paid to do. It is on record that the date given by the Minister Ngige to reach our Union with Government improved position has elapsed without any communication.

“The proposed new timelines for implementation of some proposals such as the appointment of a new team for renegotiation of the 2009 FGN-ASUU Agreement, gazetting of visitation panels among others have elapsed without any implementation. This shows the insincerity on the part of the Government.

“On IPPIS, our Union has been consistent in rejecting the platform as it compromises the autonomy of the University system and a threat to national security considering that the software is hosted in Washington, the USA with a sub-platform at Gombe State.”