JUST IN; Why we reject IPPIS, GIFMIS

Published

October 20, 2024

JUST IN; Why we reject IPPIS, GIFMIS

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has explained why it rejected two payment platforms of the federal government and insisted on University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS), it created as alternative.

ASUU had rejected the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS), a platform the Federal Government uses to pay no fewer than 789,000 of its workers in various sectors of the economy. ASUU members are also currently on the platform.

The union had also rejected Government Integrated Financial Management and Information System (GIFMIS), the platform the federal government recently approved that ASUU payment should transit to, with effect from November

In an exclusive interview the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja, the ASUU President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, said that the union’s stance is in line with the autonomy of the nation’s tertiary institutions.

According to him UTAS conforms with the statutory provision that the university’s finances should be managed by its Governing Council.

“ASUU’s position is that the finances of the university should be managed by the Governing Council. That’s what the law says. It does not says by the Accountant General’s office.

”Every year, the governing council directs the Vice Chancellor to defend its budget at the National Assembly.When the budget is approved including salary, remuneration, overhead, it will go to the President for assent and it becomes a law.

”That money should be released to the Governing council to pay its staff members. That is the autonomy of the university we are talking about, as stipulated in the law,” he said

Osodeke stressed that the universities should be given autonomy, to be able to plan for its staff members’ recruitment and how to pay their salaries.

He recalled that the Union rejected IPPIS because its implementation does not only erodes university’s autonomy but meddles with its internal affairs and violates Section 24A of the Universities Miscellaneous Provisions (Amendment) Act 2003.

Osodeke also faulted the recent guidelines by the federal government detailing the process for the formal exit of Federal Tertiary Institutions (FTIs) from IPPIS.

In a circular issued on Oct. 8, the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), Dr. Oluwatoyin Madein, said the payroll for FTIs in the month of October 2024 will still be processed on the IPPIS platform.

She added that, starting from November, the payrolls will be processed by the institutions themselves and then be checked by the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation’s (OAGF)’s IPPIS department.

According to her, the payment will be made through the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS) platform.

Osodeke, however, expressed dissatisfaction with the directives, stating that the AGF was playing games with the union.

“GIFMIS is still an appendage of IPPIS. When you look at the circular, paragraph two says after universities have finished preparation, it will still come to OAGF IPPIS, for verification before it is paid by GIFMIS, which means nothing has changed.

”As at now, no university knows who is being paid what. IPPIS has been paying people who have been sacked, people who are non staff members and people who have left the university system.

“The Vice Chancellors cannot discipline any erring official.Even when you are being disciplined, the IPPIS or GIFMIS will still be paying your salary and that is what we are saying,” he said

Osodeke said the insinuation in certain quarters that ASUU was insisting on UTAS, its own developed solution, to shield lecturers teaching in more than one institution, was misconceived

According to him, the establishment Act of University permits lecturers to teach in two institutions, but with laid down guidelines

“As stipulates by the law, a lecturers can serve as adjunct in another university, they can also work as part time in another university.

”They can serve as visiting professor in another university and this is the practice all over the world.

”For example, if you have a Professor who is highly knowledgeable in a particular field working in one university and another university has no one to handle such programme, what will they do?.

‘”That university will approach the other and appeal to the lecturer to come and teach their students on part time basis, which might be once or two times in a month.

”The institution is not expected to pay full salary to the lecturer, but allowances for the part time job.That is what it is. It is in the law and it is all over.

Osodeke also explained that lecturers do go on sabbatical; meaning, a lecturer, who has taught for six years, could apply for one year leave to go to other university or institution to teach.

According to him, it is not a new development, but the only caveat is that the maximum number of university a lecturer can practice such is two.Teaching beyond two institutions is tantamount to breaking the law.

”It is a global standard and that is why we have visiting professors from London, Ghana, among others coming here to impact their knowledge.

”When you look at UTAS that we developed, any lecturer who has gone to sabbatical for more than the approved number, will be rejected automatically.

”Also, any lecturer who has not met the six years requirement for teaching and want to go on sabbatical leave would be rejected. All these have been built into the UTAS,” he said.

The ASUU President noted, that the lack of exchange of knowledge by lecturers from one institution to another was partly responsible for the low ranking of Nigerian universities in the global ranking assessment.

Osodeke also described as misleading, the claim by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) that UTAS had failed three integrity tests.

The ASUU President said UTAS is a credible and trusted payment platform that captures the inherent peculiarities in the country’s university system.

According to Osodeke, NITDA, in an earlier integrity test conducted on UTAS, had written a report scoring the platform, 97.3 per cent, but later recounted.

He insisted that in the tests conducted by the agency, IPPIS came a distant last to UTAS and wondered why the government insisted on using the IPPIS.

Osodeke said that ASUU’s planned strike notice over the payment platform and other issues was still standing but the union had only given the government space to conclude on the new renegotiation committee that was set up.(NAN)

News

Police operatives rescue 13 victims kidnapped along Benin-Lagos expressway

Published

9 hours ago

May 23, 2026

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Police operatives rescue 13 victims kidnapped along Benin-Lagos expressway

The police command in Edo has rescued all 13 passengers abducted by suspected kidnappers along the Benin-Lagos expressway, following a coordinated operation involving aerial surveillance, drones and bush-combing tactics.

The command’s spokesperson, ASP Eno Ikoedem, disclosed this in a statement issued on Saturday in Benin City.

Ikoedem said the passengers were abducted on May 9 at Ogua Community along the Benin-Lagos road when armed hoodlums attacked a commercial bus belonging to Young Shall Grow Motors travelling from Akwa Ibom to Lagos.

According to her, a female passenger sustained gunshot injuries during the attack.

Ikoedem stated that the command immediately launched coordinated rescue and bush-combing operations after the incident.

“Following the incident, the command immediately launched coordinated rescue and bush combing operations, rescuing five passengers comprising two adults and three children, and has remained on the trail of the kidnappers,” she said.

The police spokesperson further disclosed that operatives, through intelligence-driven policing and technological support, engaged the kidnappers in a gun duel on May 10 and rescued two additional victims.

“Through the deployment of drones, aerial surveillance, intelligence-driven policing and sustained technological support, operatives of the command engaged the kidnappers in a gun duel and successfully rescued two additional passengers,” she said.

Ikoedem said the remaining six abducted passengers had now been rescued unhurt.

She quoted the state Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika, as commending the courage and resilience of the operatives involved in the operation.

The commissioner, according to her, assured residents that the command remained committed to apprehending the perpetrators.

“The command is not relenting in its efforts as intensive bush combing operations are ongoing to apprehend the perpetrators of this crime,” the commissioner said. (NAN)

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Ganduje’s Son dumps APC, joins Kwankwaso in NDC, to contest House of Reps in Kano

Published

11 hours ago

May 23, 2026

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AbdulAziz Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, son of former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has entered the race for the House of Representatives seat representing Dawakin Tofa/Tofa/Rimin Gado Federal Constituency in Kano State.

The development is generating fresh political attention in the state amid reports that AbdulAziz has distanced himself politically from his father’s camp and aligned with former Kano State governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.

His decision to contest under Kwankwaso’s political structure is being seen by observers as a major shift in Kano politics, considering the long-standing rivalry between the APC and the Kwankwasiyya movement.

AbdulAziz reportedly purchased the nomination form for the federal constituency seat ahead of the forthcoming elections.

A viral video circulating online also showed him explaining his political mission to Kwankwaso, further fueling speculations about his full integration into the former governor’s political camp.

With the latest move, political analysts believe the contest for the Dawakin Tofa/Tofa/Rimin Gado seat could emerge as one of the fiercest National Assembly battles in Kano State.

AbdulAziz is expected to square off against the APC candidate in a contest already attracting widespread political interest.

The development also comes as the New Democratic Coalition, recently joined by Kwankwaso after his reported defection from the African Democratic Congress, continues to expand its influence across Kano State ahead of the elections.

News

You can’t stay within our party and wish us bad luck, APC warns ex-Gov Fayemi over utterances

Published

13 hours ago

May 23, 2026

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You can’t stay within our party and wish us bad luck, APC warns ex-Gov Fayemi over utterances

The National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ajibola Basiru, has warned former Ekiti State governor, Kayode Fayemi, against making comments capable of undermining the ruling party, saying the APC may sanction him for alleged anti-party activities.

Basiru’s reaction followed recent remarks by Fayemi during an interview on State Affairs with Edmund Obilo, where the former governor criticised the direction of the APC and warned of possible internal crisis within the party.

In the interview, Fayemi said the ruling party had departed from the ideals upon which it was founded and was gradually losing its ideological focus and internal culture of debate.

“This is not where the party has come from. We have lost our bearing and the vision of the founding fathers of this party,” Fayemi stated.

He also expressed concern over what he described as the growing culture of political endorsements and consensus arrangements within the APC, warning that such developments could create discontent among party members.

“It would be unfortunate if everybody is running to Aso Rock because they want something,” he said.

“Those who don’t get consensus won’t be happy… and you’re waiting for an implosion.”

Responding to the comments, Basiru dismissed Fayemi’s concerns and suggested the former governor should leave the APC if he no longer believes in the party.

“We urge him that since he so much despises the party and wishes the party an implosion, he should go to where whatever he thinks his best ideas can be ventilated,” Basiru told Punch.

“We wish him the best of luck, but he should not stay within our party and be wishing us bad luck. He should go to another political party if he no longer believes in the party he represents.”

The APC national secretary further warned that the party would not ignore statements or actions considered harmful to its political interests.

“Let him go and join another party. If he does not join another party, the APC will not hesitate to invoke disciplinary actions to sanction him for anti-party activities,” he said.

Basiru also linked Fayemi’s remarks to ongoing political realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections, alleging that the former governor had been associating with opposition figures.

“His statement only further confirmed what Mr Rotimi Amaechi said, that he was one of those who agreed to form opposition against the APC,” Basiru said.

“We also have it on good authority that he and some of his followers have been hobnobbing with opposition elements, particularly ahead of the Ekiti governorship election.”

He added that Fayemi’s criticisms were coming at a sensitive period when the APC was preparing for the Ekiti governorship election and conducting party primaries.

“Even at this time that the party is conducting its primaries and making preparations for the all-important Ekiti governorship election, it only shows a design to demarket the party ahead of that election,” Basiru stated.