The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has called on the Federal Government to honor its promise to remove its members from the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS). The appeal was made by Dr. Joshua Silas, Chairman of ASUU’s Federal University Lokoja chapter, during a protest at the FUL campus in Felele, Lokoja, on Tuesday.
Dr. Silas addressed the press after the protest, urging the Federal Government to implement the renegotiated 2009 agreements with ASUU to prevent the resumption of suspended industrial actions.
“We are carrying out these protests nationwide as directed by the national body of ASUU in solidarity to urge the Federal Government to promptly meet our demands,” said Silas. “The government has failed to meet our demands regarding the 2009 renegotiation agreements with the national body of ASUU as promised.”
Silas highlighted the unfulfilled commitments made since 2009, noting that despite suspending the last strike in October 2022 with the expectation of resolution, nothing has been accomplished as of June 25, 2024.
He emphasized the union’s frustration, stating, “Enough is enough; this is totally unacceptable because many of our members have died due to the present economic hardships. We urge the government to do the needful because ASUU should not be blamed for any industrial action anytime from now.”
The demands include the removal of ASUU from IPPIS, payment of outstanding academic allowances, provision of a revitalization fund, payment of promotion arrears, and release of withheld salaries. According to Silas, the government has only paid four months out of approximately eight months of outstanding salaries, leaving a balance of three and a half months.
The News Agency of Nigeria reported that the protest spanned all faculties within the institution and concluded at the university gate, where members chanted solidarity songs and displayed placards with messages such as “Remove ASUU from IPPIS,” “Release our withheld salaries,” “Implement ASUU, FG agreements,” and “We are not casual workers.”