Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has disclosed that it has formally sent a written request for reopening of negotiations to the Federal Government. The negotiations were abandoned in February due to disagreement over the implementation of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) and both parties have not been able to meet since then due to the COVID-19 concerns.
The also asked the federal government to initiate a process that would lead to the validation of its alternative salary payment platform, the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) and demanded that the government pull out all academic staff already captured on IPPIS and enrol them on UTAS.
According to ASUU President, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, the union expect that federal government will facilitate the conducting of integrity test on UTAS. “We have written to the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, telling him that we are ready for integrity test if it will be facilitated by government. We sent the letter on Friday.” he said.
He added that the union discussed the fixing of a new date for resumption of negotiations when it met with the Minister of Education last Monday and that the minister told them that he was going to make consultations on it.
“What we need from government is sincerity. If government is sincere with us and we come to a satisfactory understanding, we are not strike mongers; we don’t enjoy being on strike either. We only use it as a last resort, when government pushes us to strike. It is because successive governments do not listen to persuasive argument and do not honour agreements. That is why we always find ourselves embarking on strike,” he said.