By Ibrahim Malumfashi
Let me for the first time elucidate on this same recurring issue of “collecting multiple salaries” by academic staffers.
One, as of today there is no Nigerian university that is okay with its staffing needs. Probably, only the 1st and 2nd generation ones are.
Most universities set up by Presidents Goodluck Jonathan and later Muhammadu Buhari are surviving due to:
1 Sabbatical staffers
2 Visiting staffers
3 Contract staffers
Most of these staffers are recruited from the existing staffers of other federal universities.
These same staffers are the ones servicing most state and private universities.
Consequently, going by Federal Government (FG)’s insistence on the IPPIS, it is saying to other universities to close shop. Because with this payment method in place, all staffers spread throughout the country, earning legitimate salary will either forfeit their main salary or the allowances as a result of servicing other universities that need their services.
Two, the current number of academic staffers which is about 40,000 is grossly inadequate for FG and State Universities. That is why there is the need for adjunct staffers from within.
Three, the idea that we should recruit new staffers from the large pool of unemployed youths in the country is not tenable, because there is the policy of Staff Mix as enshrined in the National Universities Commission (NUC)’s Benchmark of Academic Standards (BMAS).
You can not just employ a Professor or Senior Lecturer from the open market.
So, you see, FG policy inconsistencies is the bane.
They are always setting up new universities without concurrent staff ration on ground.
If the managements of the institutions in trying to survive recruit sabbatical, visiting and contract staffers from within the system, tte FG accuse them of paying same staffers double salaries and you want to use IPPIS or another policy to weed out “ghost workers”.
So, you see! ASUU is trying to protect the system from all angles.
If the FG does not want sabbatical and other adjunct staffers in other universities as it is derailing the system, let them close ALL universities using them as their permanent staffers. It is as simple as that.
By so doing, most State Universities and newly created FG universities will cease to exist.
Forget about Private universities, they are surviving because of this same system that the FG abhors.
ASUU is not a one armed bandit as it is potrayed. It is the Union that is the saviour of the system. If today ASUU will be adamant and say “hey go to hell, let all our members stay in their original places of work, no more sabbatical, visiting and other adjunct services”, half of the universities will close shop.
ASUU will not fold its arms and allow IMF and the World Bank win the ‘war’ in reducing Nigeria’s university education to the roubles.
Hate or love the Union. For ASUU, it is inconsequential!
Starve the staffers to death!
Strangle the educational system to death!
Deliberatly kill the educational system!
ASUU will continue to fight.
If the union survived the subversive boots of the military, babbar riga and gowns of the civilians can not be that intimidative!
Dare to confront injustice!
ASUU is not out to court SYMPATHY!
Professor Ibrahim Malumfashi writes from Kaduna.
