Why ASUU may shutdown Universities again

Except major actors in the brewing crisis over federal government’s decision to capture university staff under its under its Integrated Personnel Payment System (IPPIS) find an immediate solution, Nigerian universities, especially, federal government owned ones may be shut again.

Though government insists that capturing the university workers under IPPIS is meant to promote transparency, the university teachers believe otherwise and are sticking to their position.

According to Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the university system is dynamic and integrating universities into IPPIS would unleash on the university unintended consequences, which include mutating academics into mainstream civil service.

ASUU believes that there is no clear and convincing evidence that IPPIS can capture remuneration of staff on sabbatical, external examiners, external assessors, and Earned Academic Allowance, while also noting that IPPIS does not and cannot cater for the constant movement of staff in the cases of visiting, adjunct, and part-time lecturers.

Prof. Theophilus Lagi, the ASUU Coordinator, Abuja chapter explained that lack of flexibility of IPPIS had made it inappropriate and incapacitated to address the peculiarity in the University system.

Lagi said there is no clear and convincing evidence that IPPIS can capture remuneration of staff on sabbatical, external examiners and earned academic allowance.

ASUU contends that IPPIS cannot predict and address the promotion of academics especially, associate professors and professors, which are subject to external assessment.

It also believes that IPPIS will constitute an impediment in the way of the ability of Universities to recruit staff for new programmes as well as replace same, while newly employed staff cannot be paid their salaries until they are enrolled into IPPIS database.

ASUU relies on section 2AA of the universities Miscellaneous Provisions (Amendment) Act 2003 that States universities should be allowed to operate in compliance with enabling laws, statutes, rules and regulations in conformity with due process and within the laws of the land.

According to Prof Lagi, IPPIS will constitute an impediment in the ability of universities to recruit staff for new programmes as well as replace newly employed staff until they are enrolled into IPPIS database.

“The law establishing each university is an Act of the National Assembly; hence cannot be upturned by operations of the office of the AGF. The office of AGF should note that our members are only answerable to their respective Governing Councils and no university in the world operates IPPIS related system.

The coordinator maintained that enrolling its members into IPPIS contradicts the basic principles of the governing council in the general administration of funds, employment and promotion of staff.