The Academic Staff Union of Universities has again rejected the use of Biometric Verification Numbers for the payment of its members for February and March as ordered by President Muhammadu Buhari.
ASUU made its position known in a statement by the Chairman of the University of Ibadan chapter, Prof. Ayo Akinwole, on Friday.
The statement described as an act of illegality the request by the Accountant General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris, that lecturers who had yet to receive their salaries should submit their BVN as a pre-condition for payment.
The position echoes that of the national body of the union.
In Friday’s statement by Akinwole, ASUU said Idris’s directive was at variance with the order of President Buhari that all striking lecturers should be paid by April 24.
The statement said: “Section 1.6 of the CBN Regulatory Framework for BVN shows clearly those who are entitled to request for BVN and defines the procedure for obtaining it. The Accountant General of the Federation is neither eligible nor has he obtained a valid court order or approval from the CBN.
“This is another case of illegality. A BVN is a very private instrument and should not be put in public space. It can easily be used for fraudulent activities. Staff emails and phone numbers are regularly sold to private organisations by government agencies.
“To entrust one’s BVN to them will amount to committing suicide. Besides, government has the resources to verify financial information of staff from banks without requiring individuals to submit their BVNs to questionable sources.”