The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) is considering another industrial action, citing unmet promises by the administration led by President Bola Tinubu. Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, the ASUU National President, expressed concerns during an interview, revealing that last month’s salaries were paid through the Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System (IPPIS), contrary to the government’s assurance to discontinue the arrangement.
IPPIS, initiated in 2006 to streamline payroll across government entities, faced opposition from university workers, leading to strikes in 2020 and 2021 due to associated irregularities. In December 2023, the government excluded tertiary institutions from IPPIS, pledging to fulfill ASUU’s demands. Despite a September 2023 announcement of a 35% salary increase for tertiary institution workers, retroactive to January 2023, and a commitment to reimburse withheld earnings during the 2022 nationwide strike, ASUU claims none of its demands have been met.
Unaddressed issues, including Earned Academic Allowance and the slow renegotiation of the 2009 ASUU-FGN agreement, have triggered previous strikes. Osodeke emphasized the absence of official communication from the government, urging fulfillment of agreements. He indicated that ASUU would soon release a press statement outlining its stance.
