FG/ASUU Talks Not Over
The talks between Nigerian government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), is still "work in progress" as the Union again met with the Federal Government team at the instance of the Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila.
ASUU President, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke said in Abuja that the agreement for the University lecturers to be paid through the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), is an interim arrangement, insisting that IPPIS can not accommodate the Union's peculiarities demand.
Speaking at the interactive meeting with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, which had the Accountant General for the Federation (AGF) and the leadership of ASUU in attendance, Prof. Osodeke observed that IPPIS had its limitations when it comes to what it can accommodate especially on the peculiarities of the ASUU demands before the government.
But, the Acting, AGF, Sylva Okolieaboh is reassuring ASUU that his office and Union will sit down together and look at the peculiarities in order to factor them in the IPPIS in the coming months.
The House of Representatives Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila who presided at the meeting maintains that the issue of funding of ASUU which is fear of the Union's members, was being addressed in the 2023 budget before the National Assembly.
Speaker Gbajabiamia noted that the Green Chamber had a legworked so that about N500billion is included for ASUU in the coming Appropriation act.
The Speaker announced that the House of Representatives has slated a summit on university education in the country for November 22, 2022, where all the issues raised by ASUU as to funding would be put forward for discussions in order to finding a long term solution.
