Varsity lecturers accuse FG of attempt to disrupt academic calendar 

The Academic Staff Union of Universities, Sule Lamido University Kafin Hausa (ASUU-SLUK) branch, on Thursday, accused the Federal and States governments of attempts to disrupt smooth academic activities in Nigeria tertiary institutions.

The lecturers met following the directive of the National Executive Council (NEC) to discuss the challenges affecting ASUU. 

According to the communique signed by its Chairman, M. Hussaini and Secretary I. M. Chiromawa, the union said it observed with dismay, the failure of government to keep to the terms of the agreements it willingly signed with the union and the deliberate attempt by the current administration not to have any meaningful official engagement with ASUU. 

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“This explained the lack of readiness on the side of the current administration to salvage the fortunes of public universities from rot and the untold economic hardship university academics are facing which had eroded the morale of many academics and resulted to mass exodus of qualified academics to foreign countries.

“On branch issues, the meeting reviewed the effects of the newly imposed payment system the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Management System (IPPMS) that totally disregards university peculiarities and undermines university autonomy, powers and functions of the governing council and the university law. The imposition of this payment platform had resulted to an unexplained delays in the payment of April, 2024 and May, 2024 salaries. 

“These issues have been considered at the federal level and the President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR have given order for the exit of all Federal Universities from the IPPIS platform at the same time the Government of Jigawa State is attempting to migrate Lecturers of Sule Lamido University into a centralised payment system called IPPMS.”

The Union added that issues affecting its lecturers are likely to result to industrial disharmony that may eventually disrupt smooth academic activities in the University.

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“The Federal Government to as a matter of urgency resolve all the contending issues with ASUU and finalise the draft renegotiated agreement. The Jigawa State Government to rescind its decision to forcefully migrate the University into IPPMS platform for the sake of industrial harmony and maintaining smooth academic calendar.

“Finally, the general public is invited to note, that our union is not insensitive to the genuine concerns about stable academic calendars in public universities expressed by patriotic Nigerians. But the blame should be squarely put on the government who is deliberately trying to plunge the system into another crisis. We therefore, invite all well-meaning Nigerians and lovers of education to join our struggle and prevail on the government to do the needful and salvage the fortunes of public universities.”