Universities Might Remain Closed Till 2021 – ASUU

The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU has come out to say that Nigerian universities might not resume again this year.

ASUU recently revealed that FG is obviously toying with the future of Nigerian students via its recent actions.

According to a recent statement signed by Comrade Uzo Onyebinama, Zonal Coordinator, ASUU, Port Harcourt zone, Comrade Emmanuel Akpan, Chairperson, Federal University Otuoke (FUO) Comrade Endurance Joseph, Chairperson, Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Comrade Tonbara Kingdom, Chairperson, Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island and Comrade Austen Sado, Chairperson, University of Port Harcourt, the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System, IPPIS, cannot curb corruption in the university system as claimed by the government.

ASUU added that it is painful that universities have lost two academic sessions and students admitted in this academic season are yet to even take their first semester examinations.

The statement read, “His (Ngige) recent comments on Channels TV is a signal that Universities cannot reopen this 2020 and this government gambling with the future of Nigerian Youths.

“The handwriting has always been on the wall about the reluctance of this government to take necessary steps to ensure that our universities reopen this year.”

“IPPIS is not the legal instrument for solving the problem of monumental fraud perpetrated by some administrators of the universities.

“IPPIS taxes rent subsidy, allowances for journals, conferences, hazard etc., as such and for instance, an Associate Professor at the bar pays a tax of about 672 thousand naira per annum.

“IPPIS breaches the due process for enrolment in the national housing scheme. IPPIS deducts pensions from the allowances earlier listed. IPPIS breaches university autonomy. IPPIS breaches the law.

“The legal instrument to probe corruption in the universities is the Visitation Panels. For almost a decade, ASUU has been clamouring for the constitution of visitation panels to federal universities.

“We are told that they are at the point of gazetting the panels for several weeks now. May they will need like another five years to do the gazetting.”