We Are Not In Support Of Government's Plan To Reopen Universities - ASUU

On September 1, 2020,The Academic Union of Universities(ASUU) Benin Zone restated its rejection of the Integrated Payroll and Personal Information System(IPPIS). Rather,it opted for the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS),saying it would curb coruption in the System.

Prof Fred I. Esumeh, Zonal Coordinator also said the union has resolved to continue with ongoing strike if government failed to address the issues of revitalisation  fund for public universities,arears of Earned Academic Allowances(EAA),visitation to universities,proliferation of state varsities and issues of governance and the conclusion of the re-negotiation of the 2009 FGN-ASUU agreement.

He said the union rejected IPPIS as a payment platform because it was not designed to accomodate the pecularities of academic institutions.

Prof. Esumeh stated that to develop the UTAS and subject it to intergrity evaluation tests,ASUU has proposed a time Frame of 18 months to the Federal Government.

Meanwhile, the Bauchi and Kano zones of the union have faulted plan to reopen public universities.

Bauchi Zonal Coordinator,Prof Lawan Abubakar and acting zonal cooordinator in charge of Kano,Prof Abdulkadir Mohammed, in seperate briefings in Jos  and Kano respectively,said the move could be perilous.'

Abubakar said reopening of universities would pose grave danger to students and would inimical to the fight against the spread of coronavirus in the country.

He claimed most public universities lacked the infrastructure that would enable students comply with putting safety protocols in place,thereby,making them prone to contracting the virus.

"ASUU is not in support of government's plan to reopen universities. Our position is that universities should remain closed until the right thing is done to enable students comply with the COVID-19 safety protocols.

If students resume now,is it the grossly inadequate lecture halls,workshops,hostels or laboratories that will give them the oppurtunity to observe social distancing and other protocols?" Abubakar  asked.

He said the outbreak of COVID-19 had further affirmed ASUU demands for a well-funded university system as contained in the 2013 and other Memorandum of Understanding(MoU) that was reached.

He said with the manner government was poorly funding universities,it would take more than 10 years to put necessary facilities on ground that would enable students comply with safety protocol.

Speaking in Kano,Mohammed called on Federal Government to provide necessary facilites to encourage compliance with COVID-19 prevention guidelines ahead of the school reopening.