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Tag: IPPIS

  • ASUU in Benin rejects IPPIS, opts for UTAS

    ASUU in Benin rejects IPPIS, opts for UTAS

    The Benin Zone of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has opted for University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS), which it developed as their preferred mode of payment to the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).

    Prof. Fred Esumeh, the Zonal Coordinator said this on Tuesday during a press conference at the University of Benin (UNIBEN).

    He said that UTAS would help curb corruption in the academic system.

    The national body of ASUU had rejected the IPPIS which the government introduced to curb corruption and eliminate financial leakages within the Federal Government.

    The Federal Government has made it compulsory for all workers on its employment to receive salaries through IPPIS.

    The union said rejected it and declared a two-week warning strike over the government’s refusal to pay them because they did not join in the new payment platform.

    Esumeh said the union rejected the IPPIS as a payment platform because it was not suitable for the university system and was not designed to accommodate the peculiarities of academic institutions.

    “ASUU has promised alternative software that would be compatible with the university system and towards this, the Federal Government accepted the University Transparency and Accountability Solution, (UTAS) in principle.

    “Government also approved that the template be developed by ASUU and its researchers as a platform for the financial administration of universities staff monthly payroll and accounting processes in federal universities,” he said.

    Esumeh said the Federal Government also pledged that when fully developed, the UTAS would be subjected to various integrity tests in order to verify its efficacy as software that can pass the necessary attribute tests as specified by Nigeria Information Technology Development Agency (NIIDA).

    He said that ASUU had proposed a time frame of 18 months to the Federal Government ASUU to develop the UTAS and subject it to the integrity evaluation tests.

    Esumeh said that the union had resolved to continue with the ongoing strike if government failed to satisfactorily address the issues in contention which included revitalisation fund for public universities arrears of Earned Academic Allowances (EAA).

    Others are visitation to universities, proliferation of state universities and issues of governance and the conclusion of the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN-ASUU Agreement.

  • Accountant General defends delay in payment of armed forces personnel salaries

    The Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF), Sunday said it had completed paying April salaries of Armed Forces personnel.

    Its Director (Information, Press and Public Relations), Mr Henshaw Ogubike, disclosed this in a statement to newsmen in Abuja.

    Ogubike said that the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) Department confirmed the payment on May 8.

    He quoted the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System Office as saying ”the delay in the salary payment was due to the unexpected lockdown in the country.”

    Ogubike noted that the lockdown led to late submission of variations by the agencies concerned and the need to accommodate their inputs in the April payroll accordingly.

    “This explanation became necessary following a Newspaper report which alleged that the April salaries of military and paramilitary personnel was delayed as a result of incapability and inexperience of IPPIS operators.

    “As mentioned in the newspaper report, officials of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System had given assurance that the salaries would be paid between May 4 and May 8.

    “And this was promptly carried out as noted earlier,” he said.

    Ogubike said OAGF and IPPIS department staff were competent professionals who had demonstrated the capacity to work in line with the presidential directives and have saved the nation over N361 billion.

    He said they achieved this in spite of distractions and opposition from those whose objective was to sabotage the government policy.

  • IPPIS: ASUU rejects submission of BVN as condition for payment of withheld salaries

    The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) says it has rejected the submission of Bank Verification Number (BVN) as a condition for payment of February and March withheld salaries of lectures in the Federal Universities.

    Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, ASUU President, said this in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja.

    The Federal Government on Tuesday in a statement has approved the payment of February and March withheld salaries of lecturers in universities, who were yet to enroll on the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS).

    NAN recalls that ASUU had embarked on an indefinite strike on March 23, over failure of the government to address outstanding issues raised in the FGN-ASUU 2019 Memorandum of Action and the objections of ASUU to IPPIS.

    ASUU had rejected the application of force on its members to join the IPPIS in spite of its offer of a more credible alternative to IPPIS.

    According to Ogunyemi, we have been told that the Federal Government has approved the payment of withheld salaries of our members for the month of February and March.

    “We appreciate Mr President for doing that, however, withholding February and and March salaries was unnecessary in the first place.

    “In the second place, the issue is the condition attached to it, which does not go down well with our members, which is the supply of their BVN.

    “Our members are being paid in the past without asking for their BVN.

    “So, we have reasons to suspect that this is an indirect way to get us back to IPPIS, which our members rejected.

    “So, these are things we are going to clarify with the government whenever we are called for a meeting,” he said.

  • IPPIS: Buhari makes U-turn, orders immediate payment of lecturers’ withheld salaries

    IPPIS: Buhari makes U-turn, orders immediate payment of lecturers’ withheld salaries

    President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the immediate payment of the February and March, withheld salaries of lecturers in federal universities who have not registered in the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).

    The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, made this disclosure in a statement signed by his new media aide, Emmanuel Nzomiwu.

    Ngige said the president also directed the Minister of Finance, Budget and Planning, and the Accountant General of the Federation to effect the payment urgently to cushion the deleterious effects of COVID 19 pandemic lockdown on lecturers and members of their family.

    The Labour Minister added that all the Vice Chancellors were asked to revalidate the affected lecturers Bank Verification Numbers (BVN) and forward to the Accountant General of the Federation for the payments.

    The Federal Government had directed all federal tertiary institutions in the country to enroll in the IPPIS from February 2020.

  • Defiant ASUU members reject IPPIS despite FG’s salary stoppage

    The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on Wednesday declared that it would continue to resist the deployment of the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) to the nation’s university system despite the withholding of the third party deductions to the academic body and cooperative societies as well as stoppage of members’ salaries.

    ASUU called on Nigerians to also take cognisance of the fact that the withholding of the union’s and cooperatives’ deductions took effect in January while the FG’s threat to stop their salaries was effected in February 2020.

    Addressing reporters at the Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED), Ijagun, Ogun State, the Coordinator of the Lagos Zone of ASUU comprising public universities in Lagos and Ogun States respectively, Olusiji Sowande, said the desperate efforts of government to forcefully drag members into IPPIS is a violation of the law establishing the universities and autonomy.

    “The public should please be informed that third party deductions to cooperative societies and our union was withheld in January and Government threat to stop the salaries of our members has been effected from February 2020.

    “These actions will not deter us from our patriotic resistance to the deployment of IPPIS in universities,” he said.

    Olusiji lamented that the FG’s continued breach of trust in keeping with the time lines for implementation of outstanding issues in Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) and Memorandum of Actions (MoAs) as well as the IPPIS matter, have compelled the union to embark upon two weeks warning strike.

    The Lagos Zone Coordinator, who spoke in the presence of the various ASUU Chairmen from the zone, noted that the government had reneged on its promise to fully implement the aspect of funding for the revitalization of public universities in Nigeria, non – constitution of Visitation Panels for Federal Universities, non – payment of outstanding Earned Academic Allowances (EAA) among others.

    He said that the recent bitter experience of people that were coerced to enroll into IPPIS platform following alleged flaws and fraud observed in the system with people being shortchanged in salaries payment further supports ASUU resistance to IPPIS.

    He added that the FG unwillingness to launch an investigation into the alleged massive fraud been perpetrated in IPPIS office despite calls for it by ASUU, puts to test, government’s sincerity in its avowal that IPPIS was meant to fight corruption.

    According to him, the recourse by the government to take a loan of $140m to procure software and train staff in respect of the IPPIS, represents a massive fraud since ASUU had provided an alternative – University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) to it.

  • IPPIS: No more salaries for defiant ASUU members – FG

    IPPIS: No more salaries for defiant ASUU members – FG

    Members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) who have not registered in the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) should no longer expect their salaries, Finance, Budget and National Planning Minister, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed said on Thursday.

    She said that 55 per cent of the varsity teachers’ has so far been enrolled.

    The minister spoke at the opening of the 2020 Management Retreat for Treasury Directors of Finance and Directors of Internal Audit in Kano on Thursday.

    “Unfortunately, most reforms that you undertake, you come across resistance. We have had resistance from ASUU on the implementation of the IPPIS and I am happy to report that at least, up to 55 per cent of ASUU members are registered and the ones that are not are not getting their February salary,” the minister declared.

    Speaking on the need for the IPPIS system, the minister said the system has helped in identifying over 70, 000 ghost workers in the federal civil service.

    She said plans are underway to make the system free of ghost workers in future.

    The minister said: “It is in eliminating ghost workers because you register on the IPPIS using biometrics and we are currently working with the office of the head of service to link up the IPPIS HR management module with the payroll itself. It will help us better maximise the efficiency of the system.

    “I know that we have up to 70,000 ghost workers that have been identified in this process and we hope that we will come to a time when we will say that we have no ghost workers.”

    She lauded the Muhammadu Buhari regime for its commitment to public financial management, which has maximised transparency and efficiency.

    Mrs. Ahmed said: “I must say that the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari has shown the highest level commitment to public financial management. The gipmi system is now fully implemented, we are maximising the implementation of the IPPIS. The president has launched the treasury portal this December 2019. So we haven’t had as much support in the treasury from the presidency as much as we have had under President Muhammadu Buhari.

    “This is because of his commitment to transparency and accountability and due process on the part of the treasury.

    “It is in eliminating ghost workers because you register on the IPPIS using biometrics and we are currently working with the office of the head of service to link up the IPPIS HR management module with the payroll itself. It will help us better maximise the efficiency of the system.

    “I know that we have up to 70,000 ghost workers that have been identified in this process and we hope that we will come to a time when we will say that we have no ghost workers.”

  • ASUU to Buhari: Stop our salaries over IPPIS, we stop work

    Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) said it will continue to resist enrolment into the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) until the decision is rescinded.

    The union threatened that if the Federal Government stopped members salary, the union would not hesitate to embark on an indefinite strike.

    The National President of ASUU, Prof Biodun Ogunyemi, gave the warning in Nsukka on Thursday while briefing newsmen shortly after addressing ASUU members in the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN).

    He said enrolling in IPPIS amounted to destroying the autonomy and putting obstacles in the progress of public universities.

    “ASUU is protecting the autonomy of universities for the interest of Nigerians and generation yet unborn.

    “ASUU will continue to say no to enrolment into IPPIS and if the federal government stops our salary, we will stop work.

    “IPPIS is an instrument by government to erode the autonomy of public universities in the country,” he said.

    Ogunyemi said that the alternative platform for IPPIS provided by ASUU was better than IPPIS as it was more transparent and university friendly.

    “I am surprised that governments refused to allow ASUU to use that alternative payroll platform that is better than IPPIS.

    “IPPIS is not flexible enough to reflect all the flexibility in universities, “he said.

    The ASUU boss described as `unacceptable’ a situation whereby a Vice-Chancellor must take permission from Head of Service of the Federation before employing academic staff.

    “Why the universities all over the world are autonomous is because it can recruit academic staff the university needs at any point in time.

    “With IPPIS, it will be difficult for any vice chancellor to recruit academic staff as well as for professors outside the country to visit any public university for academics,” he said.

    According to him, government said the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) staff were not expected to enroll in IPPIS because they generate money for the country.

    “If NNPC and CBN generate money, universities generate knowledge and knowledge is greater than money and so universities should be exempted from IPPIS,” he said.

    The president expressed satisfaction on the maximum support from members nationwide, adding that ASUU would not relent in protecting the autonomy of public universities in the country.

    “I am in the UNN to update members on issues concerning the union as well as solicit for more support from them.

    “I commend academic staff in UNN for the impressive turnout to the meeting which shows maximum support and solidarity for the union,” he said.

  • IPPIS: Buhari makes U-turn, orders payment of salaries to lecturers

    IPPIS: Buhari makes U-turn, orders payment of salaries to lecturers

    Federal Government has made a U-turn on its determination not to pay January salary of the staff of the federal universities, polytechnic and colleges of education, thereby aborting the nationwide strike billed to commence on Monday February 3.

    It is gathered that the Federal Government has decided to halt its enforcement mechanism for a month with a view that the issues surrounding the scheme would have been sorted out.

    The rift between the academic staff of the federal institutions in Nigeria is as a result of the refusal of the academic staff to enroll under the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System, IPPIS, scheme, claiming that it does not accommodate the peculiarities of the academic staff.

    In a letter from the office of the Accountant General of the federation, signed by the Director of IPPIS, Olufehinti, O. J, dated January 21, 2020, and directed to the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, the Minister was ordered not to release funds for payment of January salaries of the tertiary institutions.

    Sequel to this, the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, directed its members nationwide to go on strike as soon as the Federal Government stops lecturers’ salaries.

    However, a twist was introduced to the saga as staff of the universities today received their salaries for the month of January.

    It is gathered that the staff of Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU, and University of Ibadan, UI, have been paid January salaries.

    Prior to the payment of salary, there was tension in the Premier University over the determination of ASUU not to allow the second semester’s examinations hold if the Federal Government kept its threat of not paying salaries until all the academic staff enrolled under the IPPIS.

    Meanwhile, the Vice Chancellor of the Premier University, Professor Abel Idowu Olayinka, has announced commencement of the Second Semester’s Examination next Monday.

  • IPPIS: Strike looms in varsities as FG stops salaries of ASUU members

    Following the refusal of the staff of the federal tertiary institutions in Nigeria to be enrolled on the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System, IPPIS, the Federal Government has ordered that the salaries of the concerned staff be stopped immediately

    The affected federal government staff, who will not be paid salaries from January, are members of Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, ASUP and Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union, COEASU.

    According to a letter from the office of the Accountant General of the federation, signed by the Director of IPPIS, Olufehinti, O. J, dated January 21, 2020, and directed to the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, the minister was ordered not to release funds for the payment of January salaries of the tertiary institutions.

    The letter captioned, “Request for stoppage of release of funds for January Salaries to federal universities, Polytechnics and colleges of education”, was silent on whether the non-payment of salaries will affect the non-teaching staff, who have enrolled under the scheme.

    The letter reads, “I am directed to inform you that the preparation of January 2020 salary payroll and warrant of the federal tertiary institutions are on-gong and will be ready for submission on or before 29th of January, 2020.

    “This is to give effect to the directive of the federal government that all Ministries, Departments and Agencies drawing personnel cost from the Consolidated Revenue Fund, CRF, should be enrolled on the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System, IPPIS.

    “In order to actualise this directive, you are please requested not to release the funds for payment of salaries to the tertiary institutions as their salaries will henceforth be paid on the IPPIS platform with effect from January 2020.”

  • Ghost workers: Any worker not on IPPIS will not be paid – Buhari

    Ghost workers: Any worker not on IPPIS will not be paid – Buhari

    Any Federal Government worker not captured on the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) by Oct. 31 would not be paid his monthly salary.

    President Muhammadu Buhari disclosed this during the presentation of the 2020 budget proposal to the joint session of the National Assembly in Abuja on Tuesday.

    He said this was one of the federal government’s efforts aimed at managing personnel costs in line with its fight against corruption.

    According to him, all agencies of government must obtain permission and follow due process as they embark on any recruitment exercise.

    “We shall sustain our efforts in managing personnel costs.

    ”Accordingly, I have directed the stoppage of the salary of any Federal Government staff that is not captured on the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) platform by the end of October 2019.

    ”All agencies must obtain the necessary approvals before embarking on any fresh recruitment and any contraventions of these directives shall attract severe sanctions,” he said.

    He said the total overhead cost for the year 2020 stood at over N400 billion, with additional provisions for the newly created ministries.

    “Overhead costs are projected at N426.6 billion in 2020. Additional provisions were made only for the newly created Ministries,” he said.

    “I am confident that the benefits of these new Ministries as it relates to efficient and effective service delivery to our citizens significantly outweigh their budgeted costs.

    “That said, the respective Heads of Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs) must ensure strict adherence to government regulations regarding expenditure control measures.

    “The proliferation of Zonal, State and Liaison Offices by Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies (‘MDAs’), with attendant avoidable increase in public expenditure, will no longer be tolerated,” the president said.

    Buhari said the 2020 budget tagged; ”Budget of Sustainable Growth and Job Creation,” has a proposed non-debt recurrent expenditure of N3.6 trillion, covering personnel and pension costs.

    “The non-debt recurrent expenditure includes N3.6 trillion for personnel and pension costs, an increase of N620.28 billion over 2019.

    “This increase reflects the new minimum wage as well as our proposals to improve remuneration and welfare of our Police and Armed Forces.

    “You will all agree that good governance, inclusive growth and collective prosperity can only be sustained in an environment of peace and security.

    “Our fiscal reforms shall introduce new performance management frameworks to regulate the cost to revenue ratios for Government-Owned Enterprises, which shall come under significant scrutiny,” he added.

    Buhari maintained that his administration would reward exceptional revenue and cost management performance, while ”severe consequences will attend failures to achieve agreed revenue targets.”