The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Thursday alerted the public that its ongoing two week warning strike might turn to an indefinite strike should the federal government fails to meet the union’s demands.
Addressing a joint press conference in Ibadan, the Ibadan zonal chapter of ASUU lamented the foot dragging approach by the federal government on the union’s demands which led to the on going warning strike.
Members of the Ibadan zonal chapter include the University of Ibadan, the Ladoke Akintola University, the University of Ilorin, the Kwara State University and the Osun State University,
According to the Ibadan zone ASUU zonal coordinator, Professor Ade Adejumo, “concerns were not addressed on unimplemented agreements the government reached with the union and the IPPIS saga within the two weeks of the warning strike, the union should not be blamed if the warning strike snowballs into bigger and prolonged action.”
The union reacted to the statement attributed to the permanent secretary in the Federal Ministry of Education who alleged that universities promote corruption.
“The attention of our union is drawn to the latest gibberish from the odious stable of the permanent secretary of education, Mr Sonny Echono. Ordinarily, we would have ignored the silly vituperation unbecoming an officer entrusted with such high responsibility. We would simply have consigned it to the ash tray of irrelevant irritation which it rightly belongs, but the public must not be allowed to be misled by this public liar.”
Berating the Minister of Finance and the Accountant General of the Federation on the implementation of the Integrated Personnel Payroll System (IPPIS), ASUU lashed out at the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Education, describing him as the latest federal government “appointed liar on IPPIS, ” adding that the Permanent Secretary should “tell Nigerians what is the percentage of lecturers in the fake statistics of enrolees on the IPPIS.”
ASUU maintained that so far, ” it has been vindicated with underpayment, overpayment, none deduction of the third party deductions, outright omissions, among many other anomalies which characterised the February salary which was paid to those who enrolled on the IPPIS platform.”
The union said it was worried that despite the regrets being expressed by those who enlisted on IPPIS and other shortcomings and sharp practices, the accountant general of the Federation and the Finance Minister were insisting on going ahead with the platform.
“Presently, the outcry emanating from university workers over the payment of February salary has vindicated ASUU’s position on the evil platform of IPPIS as an unworkable platform. To say the least, IPPIS is a haven for corruption rather than assisting in curbing it,” he said.
During the press briefing, Adejumo, was joined by Professor Ayo Akinwole (UI), Professor Moyosore Ajao (UNILORIN), Dr Biodun Olaniran (LAUTECH), Dr Femi Abanikannda (UNIOSUN), and Dr Dauda Adesola (KWASU).
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