THE Academic Staff Union of Universities has rejected a move by the Federal Government to incorporate varsity lecturers’ wage into the Integrated Personnel Payroll System.
The ASUU President, Prof Biodun Ogunyemi, in a letter written to the chapter Chairmen of the union, a copy of which was made available to newsmen in Ibadan by the Chairman, University of Ibadan chapter, Prof Deji Omole, directed members not to fill the said 2019 personnel verification form.
Our correspondent gathered that the 2019 Personnel Data Verification Form was being distributed by the Budget Office of the Federation.
Ogunyemi described the development as dubious.
According to Ogunyemi, while the union is not against any verification, the form for the exercise being distributed requires the supply of “IPPIS number” implying a dubious trap to forcefully migrate the union members into the IPPIS.
He stated, “The attention of the leadership of ASUU has been drawn to a circular from the Budget Office of the Federation directing members of our union to participate in a Personnel Verification Exercise designed for selected Ministries, Departments and Agencies. An item on the Form requires the supply of IPPIS No.
“This suggests that the so-called exercise is a disguised way of bringing back the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System, which our union rejected in the past with informed arguments. All chairpersons are advised against falling into the trap of forceful migration to the IPPIS.
“All chairpersons are strongly advised to discourage their members from completing the form under reference until the union reviews its position on the IPPS.”
Speaking further on the directive, Omole stated that the IPPIS programme did not accommodate the peculiarities of the job of university lecturers.
He noted that while government had promised to revisit the design of the IPPIS, it had allegedly refused to do anything since the union made its position known in 2014.
“The current state of IPPIS cannot accommodate the peculiarities of our job as scholars. Members should equally recall that the union has been engaging the Federal Government with a view to making relevant authorities to appreciate the implications and position of ASUU on the matter since 2014.
“Pending the resolution of the matter the evidence of which shall be communicated to all members, no member of the union is allowed to enlist in the IPPIS,” Omole said.
