Buhari approves immediate payment of withheld salaries for lecturers not on IPPIS
- President Buhari has ordered the immediate payment of salaries for lecturers not on IPPIS
- Chris Ngige, the minister of labour and employment, made this known on Tuesday, April 21
- The minister said the president directed the payment to cushion the effects of COVID-19 lockdown
President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the immediate payment of the withheld salaries of February and March for lecturers in federal universities who have not registered on the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).
The Cable reports that the minister of labour and employment, Chris Ngige, made the announcement on Tuesday, April 21, via a statement issued by his media aide, Emmanuel Nzomiwu.
Legit.ng gathered that Ngige said Buhari directed the 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.
“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 statement read.
Vice-chancellors were also requested to confirm and forward the bank verification numbers (BVN) of the affected lecturers to the accountant-general of the federation for the payments to be effected.
In January, the federal government ordered the stoppage of salaries for lecturers and all workers in tertiary institutions who were not enrolled on the IPPIS.
ASUU had rejected the directive to register on the platform, saying it would affect the autonomy of universities, and this, among other issues, led to a declaration of a two-week warning strike on March 9.
In March, the federal government came to a truce with the union and agreed to merge IPPIS with the payroll software proposed by ASUU.
Meanwhile, Legit.ng had previously reported that the ASUU advised federal and state governments to back their lockdown order with the provision of existential needs for residents.
It was reported that the president of the union, Professor Biodun Ogunyemi, warned that unless the everyday needs of the people are made available, the emerging lockdown of the country may not achieve its desired result of social distancing.
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Ogunyemi in a statement issued on Thursday, April 2, in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital, said there must be a reasonable supply of electricity, water, and food.
He warned that unless the needs of people are made available, the federal and state government may face a rebellion from people which would be counterproductive.
In another report, the management of the University of Ibadan (UI) shut two of the gates that lead to the institution as part of its fight against the coronavirus pandemic.
It was learnt that four gates lead to the University of Ibadan campus but two main gates and the second gate are along the popular Oyo road and used by the majority of the entrants.
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Source: Legit.ng