By Samuel Ogenyi, Uyo
The Academic Staff Union of Universities,ASUU, Calabar Zone, on Monday raised the alarm that some Vice Chancellors are manipulating the processes of appointments and promotions in the University system.
The Union emphasised that the affected VCs are conniving with the staff of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System,using the closure of Universities and the COVID-19 lockdown to achieve their plans.
The chairman of the Calabar Zone of the Union, Dr Aniekan Anieka Brown who stated this at a media briefing said the Union would stop at nothing to expose the fraud and invalidate products of any rigged process
” You know there are procedures for appointments and promotions in the University system. The VCs are conniving with the IPPIS staffs to raise new sets of appointments for the universities, some of whose qualifications are in doubt.
“It will shock you to note that in the face of the ongoing Industrial dispute by the Union, COVID-19 pandemic, the lockdown and closure of schools (particularly, Universities), some VCs are rigging the processes of apppointments and promotions, in some cases with active connivance of staff of IPPIS. Our Union will expose such and stop at nothing in invalidating products of any rigged process.” Brown explained.
The coordinator further stated that those clamouring for the reopening of Universities were doing so for selfish reasosn.
” The very impetus for this is to continually exploit Nigerians via fees. Regrettably,there is no evidence that the COVID-19 protocols and advisories will be enforced. One thing is obvious, they do not care about the safety and lives of Nigerians, all they care forms how to exploit the system for their personal benefits. They are capitalists. They are given to cupidity. With this we have blown the whistle.” He said.
On the vest Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System, IPPIS, rejected byvthe union, Brown said the payroll system remained enemical to their growth and would not address the peculair needs of lecturers in the Universities.
In grouse with the system which has led to more than seven months delay in payment of their salaries, ASUU said the system is fraudulent even as the union has provided an alternative to the managers of education and tertiary education in the country.
It said that IPPIS only focused on the payroll and nothing on the personnel aspects which the alternative, the Universities Transperancy and Accountability Solution, UTAS has provided for.
“UTAS has also accommodated the virtues and provisions of extant agreements between the government and the various staff unions. The ball is now on the court of the government to subject UTAS to requisite integrity tests as objectively as possible which our union has already done, to satisfy itself, we so challenge.” Brown maintained.
It decried the indiscriminate setting up of Universities by state governments when earlier ones established by those state governments remained under funded adding that products of such systems remained a danger to the system.
