The meeting between the Federal Government delegation and executive members of the striking Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has been adjourned to Wednesday next week following disagreements over the salary payment platform.
Although the Federal Government agreed to fulfill its financial obligations to ASUU members, particularly the payment of outstanding salaries and earned academic allowances, the negotiations got stuck as ASUU disagrees on the mode of payment.
The government side, led by Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige appealed to ASUU to enroll on IPPIS platform in the mean time, and migrate back to their own created University Transparency and Accountability Solution, UTAS, after its efficacy had been proven through the necessary integrity tests, but ASUU refused, insisting on being exempted from IPPIS.
UTAS is expected to pass through three integrity tests, with the first one completed on Wednesday.
Also Read : IPPIS: ASUU Adamant Against Implementation
ASUU President, Professor Biodun Ogunyemi, appealed to Government to treat the matter of University lecturers welfare as a national emergency, as the education sector needs urgent intervention.
Meanwhile, the Minister said government has pledged to pay the sum of N40 billion, being the pending Earned Academic Allowance, EAA of University teachers.
Ngige explained that out of that amount, N30 billion would be paid on or before 6th of November, while the remaining N10 billion would be spread equally over two tranches to be paid in May 2021 and February 2022.
According to Ngige, Government’s commitment to pay was in response to “the demand by ASUU for the payment of two tranches of EAA which cumulate to N40 billion that has become overdue since November, 2019.”
The negotiation between the Federal Government and ASUU is expected to continue on Wednesday, October 21 to enable the leadership consult their organs on some conclusions reached for possible suspension of the ongoing strike.
(Editor: Terverr Tyav)
