The University of Ibadan (UI) and Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) chapters of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) have issued a stern demand to the Federal Government, calling for the return of union funds deducted from their salaries during the recent strike action.
The chairmen of the two universities’ unions, Professor Ayo Akinwole (UI) and Dr. Babatunde Lawal (LAUTECH), also urged both the Federal and State governments to prioritize funding for tertiary education.
Addressing newsmen on Thursday following a protest against the Federal Government’s delays in meeting the union’s demands, the ASUU leaders emphasized the legitimacy of their demands, highlighting that improved learning conditions are crucial for the development of science, technology, and national progress.
Dr. Lawal called on the Federal Government to release third-party deductions, which include cooperative contributions, pension deductions, and union check-off dues made through the IPPIS platform, stating, “Prompt action and not delay strategy would work in this regard.”
He further criticized the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), saying, “IPPIS is a violation of university autonomy as well as the Acts establishing the Universities.
Added to this illegality is its notoriety as a fraudulent platform that is inflicting unprecedented hardship on Nigerian academics and corruptly distorting university operations with respect to payroll management.”
Professor Akinwole echoed these sentiments, describing the deduction of union and cooperative society funds without remitting them since 2020 as fraudulent.
He stated, “Members of the Union by lawful association subscribe to unions, cooperatives, and other sundry societies within their respective Universities where they pay monthly check-off dues, deductions, contributions, etc.
These dues have now been deducted by the operators of the IPPIS since February 2020 but have not been released to these unions and societies. This is not only an act of sabotage but also fraudulent.”
Akinwole added, “We cannot fold our arms and allow the university system in Nigeria to be destroyed by successive transient governments.
It is our historic duty as a union of intellectuals to defend university education in Nigeria and protect knowledge production for future generations.”
The ASUU leaders jointly urged the government to utilize the new window of opportunity presented by the union to resolve all outstanding issues to avert an industrial crisis in public universities.
