By Chijioke Kingsley
Abuja (Sundiata Post) – The University of Jos chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), has urged the Federal Government to fulfill its promise to remove its members from the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), insisting that the mode of payment is a scam.
Speaking in a Town Hall meeting on Thursday, at the ASUU Secretariat in Jos, the ASUU Chairman, Comrade Jurbe Molwus tasked the government to implement the renegotiations of 2009 agreements reached with the national ASUU to prevent the resumption of the suspended industrial action.
Molwus who amongst many other lingering demands said the most painful is the IPPIS which leaves many lecturers in a lacuna when discrepancies in their salaries arise, he said.
The Town Hall titled “The ASUU FGN Lingering Issues”, also urged the federal government to revisit its neoliberal and anti-masses policies which have led to unprecedented hardship on the masses.
It also discusses the immediate payment of arrears of earned academic allowance which was captured in the 2023 budget, as well as the immediate release of the revitalization fund.
The Town Hall also demanded that the federal government commence the payment of unpaid salaries of various months to its members who were excluded or omitted from the payroll by the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS).
Other demands are immediate payment of the balance of its withheld salaries of three and half months, Payment of promotion arrears and responsibility allowance to its entitled members and for FG to return to the re-negotiation table with a view to sign and implement the Nimi Briggs Report.
Others are Reinstatement of the governing councils that were illegally dissolved by the Tinubu-led government and Checking the proliferation of Universities.
On his part, a Professor from the Department of Sociology, Ogoh Alubo, during his remarks said the sufferings of lecturers has led many to flee the country in search of a greener pasture.
Ogoh said lecturers like himself who remained in Nigeria are now working like missionaries who do not have benefits.
He urged the federal government to prioritize lecturers’ welfare and also ensure that they pay close attention to improving infrastructures in federal universities.
