ASUU: Staff not enrolled won’t appear on IPPIS payroll from November, says Account-General

*Federal Government directs Vice-Chancellors, Bursars to stop salaries of non-complying University staff

*Leave of absence, maternity leave not an excuse, says Ahmed Idris, Accountant-General of the Federation

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

Though the leadership of Nigeria’s Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has said President Muhammadu Buhari’s recent directive does not apply to its members as they are “not Civil Servants”, Mr. Ahmed Idris, Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF), has asked Bursars of Federal Universities to stop salaries of any staff who fails to enrol for the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information (IPPIS) from November 2020.

The government’s directive was contained in a memo titled: “Stoppage of Salaries of University Staff That Are Yet to Be Enrolled on IPPIS Platform”, dated October 8, 2020, and signed by Dr. Nsikak Ben, Director of IPPIS in the Office of Accountant-General of the Federation (OAFG), to Vice-Chancellors of Federal Universities through a Committee of Vice-Chancellors.

Mr. Ahmed stated in the memo: “I am directed to inform you that any staff of your institution who has not enrolled on the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS), either as a result of Study Leave (with pay), maternity Leave or on medical ground, will no longer appear on the IPPIS payroll with effect from November 2020 payroll.

“Except such Staff presents himself/herself for the biometric data capture at the office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF), Abuja, with an introduction letter/IPPIS Enrollment forms duly endorsed by the principal authorities of the Institution.

It said: “In addition, all supporting documents should include evidence of six months’ salary bank statement.

“In view of the above, kindly inform your staff in this category to URGENTLY avail themselves for the biometric data capture at the OAGF.

“However, an exemption may only be given where institutions provide evidence of Study Leave, stating the duration to justify such persons being retained on the payroll.”

ConsumerConnect reports President Buhari, in his Appropriation Bill 2020 presentation to the National Assembly (NASS) Thursday, October 8 had declared that as a way of eliminating fraud from the payment of salaries, only staff on the platform would be paid.

However, ASUU leadership responded, insisting that the Nigerian President’s directive did not apply to its members as they are not Civil Servants.

Members of the university academic union have been on strike over IPPIS in the last six months.

Similarly, members of Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) commenced a 14-day nationwide strike against same controversial IPPIS Monday, October 5, 2020.

Ahmed, however, directed that all the staff who have not been earlier captured on IPPIS to report for enrollment in Abuja, FCT.