IPPIS: UNILORIN workers celebrate exclusion

The four trade unions operating at the University of Ilorin have assessed and welcomed the removal of institutions of higher learning from the Integrated Personnel Payroll System (IPPIS) by the Federal Government .

In separate interviews with UNILORIN BULLETIN last Thursday (December 14, 2023), the union leaders commended the Federal Government for eventually acceding to their demand, which they said was one of the reasons that brought about the industrial disharmony that rocked the nation’s University system last year.

The union leaders also described the exclusion that was announced by the Minister of Information, Alhaji Idris Mohammed, at the end of the Federal Executive Council meeting last Wednesday (December 13, 2023) as a glittering end of the year gift to all the Nigerian University workers and their families as well as their friends and well wishers.

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Leading the Union leaders in the assessment of the import of the development was the Chairman of the University of Ilorin’s Chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Dr Alex Akanmu, who said that all the academic staff of the University were delighted that their struggles against the IPPIS eventually yielded the desired result.

He recalled that the nation’s university system suffered serious setback in the last six years courtesy of the imposition of the IPPIS on University workers as the peculiarities of their system were jettisoned. He said that brain drain left most of the nation’s ivory towers almost empty.

Dr Akanmu explained that “the exclusion of our institutions from the IPPIS platform as a good development and a big relief”.

The don expressed the hope that with the exclusion, a better management of the system would ensue and that the judicious use of available resources would prevail across the Federal government-owned universities. He said that the development would also lead to the much envisaged autonomy of the nation’s universities.

Also speaking, the Chairman of the University of Ilorin chapter of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Comrade Naheem Olusola Falowo, said that the development was the best thing that has ever happened to the nation’s University system in recent years.

He explained that the development could be best described as the fruits of a prolonged labour and victory for all the trade unions and university workers.

Comrade Falowo also explained that the removal of institutions of higher learning from IPPIS will also strengthen the envisaged autonomy of the Universities and enhance policy implementation in terms of academic programmes and employment opportunities in the nation’s University system.

Also in his view, the Chairman of the UNILORIN chapter of the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT), Comrade Femi Awolola, explained that the development is a positive one that would ensure the repositioning of the nation’s University system.

Comrade Awolola said “We all know the problems and complications associated with IPPIS”, adding that the system impeded productivity and endangered the much needed industrial harmony in the nation’s ivory towers.

He pointed out that the exclusion would enable staff members of the various institutions of higher learning owned by the Federal Government to receive their salaries and other welfare packages on time.

Comrade Awolola added that it will also enable Universities to engage new staff members as situations often demand the replacement of the dead and the retired ones. He also noted that it will enhance the desire of the universities for the much envisaged autonomy.

On his part, the Chairman of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU), University of Ilorin chapter, Comrade Ibrahim Suberu, said that the decision of the Federal Government was “a very good development”.

He explained that the unions had been agitating for university autonomy and fighting the inconsistencies associated with IPPIS before and since its imposition on the Federal government-owned universities.

Mr Suberu added that the  development would make it difficult, if not totally impossible, for any individual to poach  staff salaries as it would also assist in curbing fraudulent practices.