Release promotion arrears or risk Industrial peace- ASUU tells FG

In the interest of labour peace and harmony in Nigerian universities, the Academic Staff Union of Universities has requested that the Federal Government, through the office of the Accountant General of the Federation, release outstanding promotion arrears owed to its members. This request comes in response to a National Executive Council meeting held at the University of Maiduguri.

The Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System was used to commit employment racketeering, according to a statement from the ASUU that was released on Thursday morning.

“NEC noted with serious concern that ASUU members are currently owed several months’ worth of promotion arrears arising from distortions traceable to the coercive enrollment of academics on the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information platform,” the statement reads. Despite numerous attempts by the union and university administrations, NEC noted that the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation has not addressed the problem.

“As a result, in the interest of industrial peace and harmony, ASUU calls on the OAGF to ensure the immediate release of backlog of promotion arrears to our members.

“NEC was troubled by reports of widespread employment racketeering carried out by administrators of the defunct IPPIS, including scandalous revelations at the recent meetings of the House of Representatives’ Probe Panel on IPPIS. NEC noted that the dishonest trend has undermined university employment tradition in violation of the Universities (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2003 and each university’s own guidelines for appointments and promotions. All unauthorised appointments sponsored by the IPPIS and its representatives in public universities in Nigeria are rejected by ASUU.

Details to follow