The Integrated Personnel Payment System no longer applies to Federal Universities, Polytechnics, or Colleges of Education (IPPIS).
The Federal Executive Council approved the exception during its meeting on Wednesday at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
Prof. Tahir Mamman, the Minister of Education, revealed this information and stated that it is effective immediately while updating State House Correspondents on the results of the FEC meeting with other ministries.
He claims that the FEC also noted that vice chancellors of universities did not have to leave their jobs in order to travel to Abuja in order to handle staff salaries.
The Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) had been at odds over the ongoing use of IPPIS to pay university teachers’ benefits.
Vice President of ASUU Chris Piwuna, who was a vocal opponent of IPPIS, would point to university autonomy as a crucial argument, charging the Office of the Head of Service with interfering with university business.
“We do not acknowledge that IPPIS exists in any capacity. IPPIS will never be allowed on ASUU campuses, he declared.
“Our issue is not with IPPIS’s quirks, but rather with the autonomy of Nigerian universities.The vice-chancellors and university governing councils have been replaced by the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation.
“We are requesting that they refrain from intervening in the universities.”
The University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) was selected by ASUU as their preferred payment platform.
In response to pressure, the government made concessions to ASUU, saying it will collaborate with the union to alter IPPIS to take into account the unique requirements of academic institutions as well as the characteristics of the UTAS, the preferred payment platform for lecturers.
