The government’s proposal to exempt members of the University Academic Staff from the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System is a temporary step awaiting the conclusion of the Integrity Test on the University Transparency and Accountability Solutions.
Ngige, who clarified the position of the government team about negotiations with Asuu said that it was incorrect that the government had abandoned the IPPIS or that Asuu should not be in Peron.
Clarifying on Saturday, the Minister said, “I think it’s better because many people quote us outside the context that we abandoned the IPPIS and that we said they shouldn’t be on the IPPIS, it was not true.
“What we said at the meeting and what we agreed on was that in the interim for the transition period that UTAS was being tested by NITDA and the National Security Advisory Office for Cyber Security.
“For the transition period, Asuu members who have not used the IPPIS will be paid through the platform with which they are paid for president’s compassionate COVID-19 payments that are committed to them between February and June.
“The platform is a hybrid platform between the IPPIS and GIFMIS platform (government integrated financial and management information system ) for the transition period. That is what is used, it is a hybrid.”
He said the reason for reaching that position was because there was no government payment to be carried out outside the IPPIS platform.
“So there is a handshake between the IPPIS and GIFMIS platforms and that is what is used to pay them for that period and so we will continue with it until Utas experienced all the test integrity and cyber security tests and confirmed to be used,” he added.
In the N65 billion offer made for Asuu, the minister said that before the Friday meeting, the government made the N50B aggregate offer to the unions.
He said, “The offer made was clear. You can understand it in this way. Before the meeting yesterday (Friday), the government brought the N50B aggregate offer to Asuu; N20B for revitalization, to show good confidence that the government is still with them on funding issues for revitalization and Waiting for the affirmation of new sources of public education funding. There is a committee about that and the committee is working on the source of new education funds, it is a committee needs.
“So, while waiting for the needs committee that affects the source and new funding strategy, the government offers it N20B for revitalization, apart the funds from Tetfunds which are also used for revitalization.
“They rejected N20BN and said that they wanted N110B which was 50 percent of the N220BN tranche. The government said they did not have that much money and then increased that N20BN with N5BN became N25BN and if it became N25B, the benefits obtained will be raised to the N40B payment immediately, Make a total N65 billion for revitalization and benefits obtained at the University. “
