The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Thursday alerted that its on going two weeks warning strike may turn to 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 – comprising of University of Ibadan, Ladoke Akintola University, University of Ilorin, Kwara State University and Osun State University, lamented the foot dragging approach by the federal government on the union’s demands which led to the on going warning strike
According to the Ibadan zone ASUU zonal coordinator, Professor Ade Adejumo, who was flanked by Professor Ayo Akinwole (UI), Professor Moyosore Ajao (UNILORIN), Dr Biodun Olaniran (LAUTECH), Dr Femi Abanikannda (UNISON), and Dr Dauda Adesola (KWASU) during the conference, “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 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.