ASUP may consider IPPIS enrolment for members

Wed, Oct 23, 2019
By publisher
4 MIN READ

Education

THE Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), has hinted that the body was considering the enrolment of its members into the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) to promote industrial peace and harmony.

Its National President, Mr Usman Dutse, at the end of an Emergency meeting with officials of the Accountant General of the Federation in Abuja, said the union’s fears had been allayed.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), recalls that the body had all along expressed its reservations on joining the scheme, citing the autonomy it enjoyed as well as the peculiarities associated with the academic environment.

The body had on Oct. 10, issued a 21-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to address some of its issues and that of IPPIS enrolment or risk indefinite withdrawal of services by its members nationwide.

But the Federal Government had directed that any worker not on the IPPIS would no longer receive salary with effect from Oct.31.

The President had directed that all Ministries, Departments Agencies (MDAs), drawing their salary from Consolidated Revenue Funds (CRF) should join by the end of October 2019

“Actually, we just finished meeting with the director of IPPIS and his team, they came and made presentation that indicates a template that captured our fears.

“Because in the series of meetings we had with them, we have identified our peculiarities which need to be addressed, and in this meeting we held, they have made that presentation which indicates that they have captured those peculiarities

“They promised that this arrangement will address all our fears and we believe that what they said is going to be implemented because that assurance is given.

“We believe that Government on its own side has promised to address the issues, and we hope that it is going to be executed as agreed and as presented.

“From now, we are going back to our congresses, to our national executive council meeting to present what we have received here, whether it will guide our subsequent decisions and actions.

“Particularly, the issue of retirement age, 65 years has been captured, issue of our allowances also has been indicated, sabbatical, part-time, visiting also, has also been addressed.

“The issue of payment of our promotion and redress mechanism have been indicated in the way they can be addressed.

“Other issues that have to do with promotion and promotion arrears, they have indicated how it can be done.

“Our belief is that, those things are going to be executed as presented, so we present it back to our NEC also, “he said.

On the recently concluded minimum wage committee negotiations, Dutse expressed hope that all state governments would comply with the law and allow workers enjoy the benefits.

He said the body had a mechanism to ensure that state governments also buy-in and promote improved welfare for workers.

“Well it is a welcome development, our major concern is the implementation and government has promised it will implement immediately.

“We believe that they are going to back date it from the time that the president approved the minimum wage.

“So we are expecting that the government will do it without further delay because it is a presidential directive.

“There are measures that will be taken, and I believe that it will not be preempted when the time comes.

“Definitely, with the organised union in conjunction with other affiliate unions and agencies, the right thing will be done for full implementation.”

ASUP Publicity Secretary, Mr Chris Nkoro, also said that both parties had agreed that Oct. 31 deadline might not be feasible, following the technicalities involved with biometric capturing.

According to him, the peculiarities of the academic environment and other exigencies may need an extension of time so as to allow for all its members to be captured.

Nkoro said the body had also agreed to circulate the resolutions of the meeting in all polytechnics. (NAN)

– Oct 23, 2019 @ 19:05 GMT |

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