Why we’re against IPPIS – ASUU

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has given reasons why it rejected the plan by the Federal Government to enrol university workers into IPPIS, saying it violated university autonomy.

The ASUU Coordinator in Lagos zone, Prof. Olusiji Sowande, who stated this at a press conference held at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) on Thursday, said that the policy was not acceptable to the union.

Sowande noted that it was important for the Federal Government to consider the peculiarities of the universities and their enabling laws before such decisions could be made.

He added that universities operated differently from the civil service and should, therefore, not be seen as appendages of ministries, departments and agencies of government.

“In addition to the Act establishing each university, there is the Universities Miscellaneous Provisions (Amendment) Act, 2003.

“The Act states in Section 2(A) that the power of the council shall be exercised as in the laws and statutes of each university and to that extent, the establishment circulars that are inconsistent with the laws and statutes of the university shall not apply to the university.

“IPPIS will not recognise nor adequately capture the flexibility and peculiarities of the university system in terms of replacement/recruitment of staff,” he said.

Sowande explained that ASUU believed that President Muhammadu Buhari would not violate his oath of office, but would rather abide by the constitution and the law of the land.

He added that the union was not opposed to accountability and transparency in handling public funds.

The ASUU chairman further explained that the Office of the Accountant- General of the Federation had no business in superintending over or introducing any financial control or cost saving measure in the university.

Sowande argued that such power and responsibilities were vested in the governing council of each university.

Also speaking, Dr Dele Ashiru, ASUU Chairman, University of Lagos, said that the introduction of IPPIS in the university was a total a violation of the constitution.