ASUU Gives FG Ultimatum to Pay Arrears or Face Strike

Tensions are mounting once again within the education sector, as the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has formally appealed to the Federal Government, specifically addressing the Accountant General of the Federation, regarding the unsettled backlog of promotion-related payments owed to its members.

The union has conveyed that unless these outstanding promotion arrears are promptly addressed, there is a looming threat of widespread labor unrest and disruption within Nigerian universities.

This development has arisen subsequent to a convened meeting of the union’s National Executive Council (NEC), which took place at the premises of the University of Maiduguri. ASUU has divulged these concerns through an official statement issued on Thursday morning. In addition to the matter of unresolved promotion arrears, the union has expressed deep concern over reports detailing instances of fraudulent employment practices that have transpired within the context of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).

Concerns over IPPIS

• The statement from ASUU reads, “NEC noted with serious concern that ASUU members are currently owed several months of promotion arrears arising from distortions traceable to the forceful enrollment of academics on the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information platform. NEC observed that the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF) has failed to address the issue despite several efforts by the union and university administrations.
• “Consequently, ASUU calls on the OAGF to ensure the immediate release of backlog of promotion arrears to our members in the interest of industrial peace and harmony.
• “NEC was disturbed by reports of massive employment racketeering perpetuated by operators of the discredited IPPIS, including scandalous revelations at the recent sittings of House of Representatives’ Probe Panel on IPPIS. NEC observed that the unsavoury trend has eroded university employment tradition in violation of the provisions of the Universities (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2003, and Guidelines for Appointments and Promotions of individual universities. ASUU rejects all illegal appointments sponsored by the IPPIS and its agents in Nigerian public universities.”

What you should know

In a related development, ASUU had in November 2022 warned of the possible breakout of a fresh crisis in the university system if the federal government continues to withhold the salaries of its members in its ‘no work no pay’ policy.

The union called on interested parties and well-meaning Nigerians to put pressure on the federal government to pay its members’ withheld 8-month salaries across the country.

The government had withheld the salaries of the striking university lecturers after they called off their 8 months of industrial action.

Also, earlier in January 2023, ASUU threatened to take the Federal Government to court over the withheld 8 months’ salary arrears.