ASUU WANTS TO STRIKE AGAIN IN NIGERIA

The Academic Staff Union of Universities has directed its members nationwide not to fill the Integrated Payroll and Personal Information System sent to universities by the National Universities Commission.

The union, which just resumed from a five-month strike, condemned the NUC for the latest move which
it said might threaten peace again.

It warned NUC boss, Prof. Julius Okojie, to face the daunting tasks of ensuring that needed facilities and
infrastructures were provided for Nigerian universities, rather than being involved in a task that
could soil his image.

The University of Ibadan branch of ASUU directed its members not to fill the form in a mail sent to its members through the secretary, Dr. Deji Omole.

The mail read in part, "Dear members, our attention has been drawn to an NUC circular directing university staff to fill IPPIS forms. This is to remind you that the union's position on IPPIS has not changed. Until the National Executive Council reviews its earlier decision, no ASUU member is to fill the form. NEC is to discuss this issue in February and
give further directive. United we bargain, divided we beg."

Chairman University of Ibadan Chapter, Dr. Olusegun Ajiboye, said the latest move by NUC was to further create problems for academic staff, adding that it could create an avenue for fraudulent practices.

He said, "IPPS negates the principle of university autonomy that ASUU fought for. We are employed by
our respective governing councils and not centrally by NUC. For salaries to be paid from Abuja is strange
to world university system.

IPPS does not take into consideration the peculiarities of our job. Now that we are even paid by our universities, members who have problems with
their salaries face difficulties before getting it resolved let alone salaries being paid from Abuja."
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