Members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) have been advised to comply with the Federal Government directive for them to enroll in the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).
The Pro-Chancellor, Crawford University, Igbesa, Prof. Oye Ibidapo-Obe gave the advice on Thursday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
Ibidapo-Obe was reacting to the impasse between the union and the Federal government on the directive, following government directive for ASUU members to enroll for IPPIS.
“My view on the issue of IPPIS is that, ASUU should comply with the Federal government directive on enrolment because the adage says “He who pays the piper dictates the tune.’’
“I don’t really understand the politics there because in private university, no one determines how the wages are paid; either through a bank or other means.
“The issue of IPPIS is just like a driver that wants to determine the brand of car his employer should buy for him to drive, that will not be possible, I think ASUU should reconsider.
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“The university autonomy has been grossly eroded and if we still believe that there is autonomy in the university system, then we are just deceiving ourselves because there will be a total operation,’’ he said.
Ibidapo-Obe, former Vice-Chancellor, University of Lagos (UNILAG) said that payment of salaries during his time was a herculean task adding that the system could have been simplified through IPPIS.
He said that when he was the Vice-Chancellor of UNILAG, the struggle was always on to get salaries paid, adding that it was painful the payment could not be as at when due.
“Now, the Federal Government wants to take the burden off our shoulders we should not restrict the move.
“If the Federal government wants to pay through IPPIS, we should allow it to pay the best way it can; it is reasonable enough. What ASUU needs to do is to iron out the grey areas.
“The IPPIS is a software that can accommodate all the peculiarities of university system, so what ASUU needs to do is to look at the way it can work things out.’’ (NAN)
