The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has voiced opposition to the Federal Government’s reported removal of federal universities from the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS).
According to ASUU National President Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, the new guidelines still mandate universities to submit salary details to IPPIS for verification, which the union considers counterproductive.
ASUU argues that university autonomy should allow each institution to manage payroll after budget approval, instead of IPPIS interference.
ASUU has long criticised IPPIS, stating that it fails to address allowances like promotions and study leave, and disregards the retirement age of 70 for professors.
To address these issues, ASUU developed the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS), but it was not adopted by the government.
Meanwhile, ASUU plans to meet with the government’s renegotiation team to review its 2009 agreement, with a strike decision pending the meeting’s outcome.
In a separate matter, the Congress of University Academia (CONUA) has demanded the release of withheld salaries for its members, who did not participate in ASUU’s recent strike.
CONUA President Dr. Niyi Sunmonu stated that withholding salaries was unjust and violated a July 2023 court ruling that recognised CONUA as an independent union.
The group warned that continued withholding of these funds could destabilise the country’s universities.
