IPPIS: FG to meet ASUU on Monday to avert looming strike

In a bid to avert another ASUU strike, representatives of the Federal Government are expected to meet the leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities on Monday, August 2, 2021.

The Deputy Director, Press and Public Relations at the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Mr. Charles Akpan, in a statement announced that the minister, Senator Chris Ngige, will be hosting the leadership of the ASUU to a meeting in Abuja.

The statement reads, “The Minister for Labour and Employment Dr. Chris Ngige will be hosting a meeting with ASUU. The meeting is scheduled for Monday, August 2, 2021 at Minister’s Conference Room.”

Recall that Chairmen of ASUU branches had recently threatened to resume the suspended industrial action due to FG’s failure to implement their agreement on IPPIS.

One of the Chairmen, Dr Ibrahim Inuwa said the protracted strike was suspended in December after the two parties signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the various issues and providing timelines for the implementation of each of the eight items in the agreement.

Inuwa, who is the ASUU Chairman of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi said only two out of the eight issues in their MoU with the FG have been addressed since December 2020.

He listed some of the issues yet to be addressed by the FG to include payment of the earned academic allowance, funding for revitalisation of public universities, salary shortfall, proliferation of state universities and setting up of visitation panels.

Other outstanding issues are; replacement of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System with the University Transparency and Accountability Solution and withheld salaries and non-remittance of check-off dues.