The Academic Staff Union of Union on Monday described the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System of the Federal Government as a scam, saying Nigerian Universities have the capacity to create their own platform.
This was made known by the National President of ASUU, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, during a meeting by the leadership of the Senate with the lecturers over their lingering face-off with the Federal Government on the usage of the IPPIS for universities.
Ogunyemi said the implementation of the IPPIS will violate university autonomy in Nigeria.
Ogunyemi said: “Technically speaking, IPPIS is a scam.
“It creates more problems than it resolves.
“The way IPPIS is configured and being operated could give room for inflation of salary accounts.
“Nigerian Universities have the capacity to develop their own platform in the place of IPPIS with different levels of control, which can be accessed periodically to asses compliance with the regulations on transparency and accountability by each university.
“We have seen this practicalised in other universities in Africa, including the University of Ghana, Legon.
“ASUU can coordinate the project if the government gives the approval for the development of a separate and unique salary payment.
“The centralization of payroll is a violation of university autonomy.
“It contradicts the principle of the superiority of the Governing Council in the control and management of university funds and employment and promotion of staff.
“Universities all over the world have a tradition of independence and complete separation from the structure of the civil service.
“The attempt to bring Nigerian Universities under a general practice that is meant for the civil service will not only undermine university autonomy, it will also infringe on academic freedom and consequently work against the effort of our country to develop the much sought-after knowledge-based economy.”
Ogunyemi also said that IPPIS poses great threat to Nigeria’s national security because the system is not strategic for sovereign nations, especially in a world system where almost all countries are vulnerable to sabotage by international cyber criminals and states.
He said: “One of the biggest challenges of IPPIS is that IPPIS poses great threat to Nigeria’s national security.
“The system is not strategic for sovereign nation in a world system where almost all countries are vulnerable to sabotage by international cyber criminals and states.
“Once such sabotage happens, the entire country would be plunged into confusion and dysfunction.
“This has happened before and can happen again.
“It will constitute an impediment in the way of the ability of the universities to provide staff for new programmes as well as replace staff.
“This is because new staff members cannot be paid salaries until they are enrolled into IPPIS database, which will take months to actualise.”
Speaking earlier, the President of the Senate, Senator Ahmad Lawan, wondered how someone enters into an agreement under pressure, faulting the agreement 2009 agreement of the Federal Government with ASUU.
Lawan said: “I known several agreements which Federal Government cannot fulfill.
“Why would somebody enter into an agreement you cannot implement because of pressure?”
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