ASUU Defies FG, Mobilizes for Nationwide Strike Over IPPIS

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has directed its branches to shun the enrolment into Integrated Payment and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) which commenced nationwide yesterday in all the federal universities and get ready for  a nationwide strike action should the Federal government refuse to pay their salaries.

This followed directive from the Office of the Accountant General of Federation (OAGF) that all staff of federal universities should go with their credentials to their various institutions between November 25 (today) and December 5 for enrolment into IPPIS and salaries of any worker not captured on the payment platform will be withheld.

A source revealed to newsmen that ASUU in a meeting that lasted all through the weekend resolved to mobilize its members for strike action should the federal government suspend their salaries for refusing to enrol into the scheme. Efforts to reach the ASUU National chairman for comments on this have not produced results.

However, when contacted, the Sokoto Zonal Coordinator of ASUU, Mr. Jamilu Shehu, said, “ASUU is determined to oppose any policy that is aimed at thwarting the educational advancement of the country. If government insists on stopping the salaries of the university staff for not joining IPPIS, the union’s policy of No Pay No Work will definitely be implemented,” he said.

He added that IPPIS violates the provisions of the Establishment Act of all federal universities and the union viewed the claim by the OAGF that ASUU’s position against IPPIS was an endorsement of corruption as cheap blackmail and a calculated attempt to sabotage university autonomy.

“Taking the next line of action depends upon the stopping of our salary by the government,” he added.