The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has explained why it rejected two federal government payment platforms and insisted on using the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS), which it developed as an alternative.
ASUU rejected the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS), the government’s platform used to pay over 789,000 workers across various sectors, including ASUU members. The union also dismissed the Government Integrated Financial Management and Information System (GIFMIS), which the government recently mandated for ASUU’s payroll starting November.
pathwaynews reports that , ASUU President Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke said the union’s stance aligns with the autonomy of tertiary institutions. He emphasized that, by law, universities’ finances should be managed by their Governing Councils, not the Accountant General’s office. Osodeke argued that UTAS respects this statutory provision, allowing universities more control over financial decisions and staff payroll.
Osodeke highlighted that ASUU rejected IPPIS because it undermines the universities’ autonomy, interferes with internal affairs, and violates Section 24A of the Universities Miscellaneous Provisions (Amendment) Act 2003. He also criticized the government’s recent guidelines for transitioning Federal Tertiary Institutions (FTIs) from IPPIS to GIFMIS, stating that the supposed changes were superficial and still tethered to IPPIS.
The ASUU president refuted claims that UTAS was being promoted to protect lecturers working in multiple institutions, clarifying that Nigerian law allows lecturers to teach at two universities under certain guidelines. He also pointed out that UTAS automatically flags violations, like lecturers working beyond the legal limit or taking unauthorized sabbatical leave.
Osodeke criticized the National Information Technology Development Agency’s (NITDA) claim that UTAS had failed integrity tests, countering that UTAS previously scored 97.3% in an initial test conducted by NITDA. He questioned the government’s insistence on using IPPIS despite its lower performance.
ASUU’s planned strike over the payment platform dispute remains on hold while awaiting the outcome of the government’s renegotiation process.
