ASUU rejects ongoing FG’s personnel verification exercise

Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan

He gave the directive in a letter written to chairmen of the union in various public universities in the country, a copy of which was made available to journalists in Ibadan on Sunday by the chairman University of Ibadan chapter of ASUU, Prof Deji Omole.

Ogunyemi described the 2019 personnel verification exercise as a ploy to forcefully incorporate lecturers into the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).

The letter read in part: “The attention of the leadership of the ASUU has been drawn to a circular from the Budget Office of the Federation, directing members of our union to participate in a Personnel Verification Exercise, designed for selected Ministries, Departments and Agencies.

“An item on the form requires the supply of “IPPIS no”. This suggests that the so-called exercise is a disguised way of bringing back the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), which our union rejected in the past with informed arguments.

“All chairpersons are advised against falling into the trap of forceful migration to the IPPIS. All chairpersons are strongly advised to discourage their members from completing the form under reference until the union reviews its position on the IPPIS.”

However, the chairman of ASUU in UI, Prof Omole, has explained why the union stood against IPPIS, saying: “The current state of IPPIS cannot accommodate the peculiarities of our job as scholars.

“Members of our union should equally recall that the union has been engaging the Federal Government with a view to making relevant authorities to appreciate the implications and position of ASUU on the matter since 2014.

“Pending the resolution of the matter, evidence of which shall be communicated to all members, no member of the union is allowed to enlist in the IPPIS.”