IPPIS: Buhari orders payment of withheld lecturers’ salaries

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the payment of the February and March 2020 withheld salaries of lecturers in federal universities, who had not registered in the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System -IPPIS

A statement on Tuesday by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, said “the payment was immediate and without condition”.

In the statement circulated by his media aide, Emmanuel Nzomiwu, Ngige said “the President also directed the Hon. Minister of Finance, Budget and Planning, and the Accountant General of the Federation to effect the payment urgently by all means to cushion the effects of COVID-19 pandemic lockdown period on lecturers and members of their family”.

The labour minister added that all the Vice-Chancellors were asked to revalidate the affected lecturers’ Bank Verification Numbers and forward to the Accountant General of the Federation for the payments.

Directive will lead to meaningful dialogue – ASUU

In a Swift reaction to the directive by the President, the Accademic Staff Union of Universities – ASUU responded saying the directive by President Buhari that the Feb and Mar 2020 salaries of members of ASUU, withheld because of their refusal to enrol in the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System, IPPIS, be paid as soon as possible will lead to meaningful dialogue with the government.

The National President of ASUU, Prof. Abiodun Ogunyemi disclosed this today. He also stated that the directive was in the right direction.

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He stressed that it’s members worked in February and we were still working in March before this Coronavirus pandemic broke. It is expected that a labourer be paid his wages. Even as we are talking, people are supposed to be prepared to get their April salary.

ASUU boss appreciate the gesture even though there was no reason to stop our salaries in the first instance,”he said. However, the ongoing industrial strike action by the union is still on.

It was gathered that the moment the salaries are paid, the National Executive Committee of the union would meet to deliberate on the next line of action.