The Federal Government has shifted ground over the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), which had led to a nation wide strike by members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) that had lingered for a long time now.The minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige who made this known today, November 20 when he met with the representatives of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), said that the Ministry as well as the Ministry of Education would use the previous payment platform of the government before it introduced IPPIS to pay the withheld salaries of the Universities lecturers under strict monitoring.
Ngige said that representatives of the government and ASUU met over the University Transparency Account System (UTAS) proposed by the union, but that it is work in progress.
He said that the Federal Government has offered a cumulative sum of N65 billion to the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to address earned academic allowances and revitalisation of universities.
The Minister said that the government has decided to shift grounds on the lingering issues that have kept students out of the classroom for several months.
Ngige said that in its bid to resolve the impasse with ASUU, the sum of N15 billion from the amount offered by the government would be for more funds to revitalise the universities.
He said that the fund was in addition to the N20 billion paid earlier, making it a total of N35 billion committed as revitalisation fund by the government.
The minister, who said the visitation panel to the universities would be inaugurated next week.
The ASUU president, who also addressed reporters, acknowledged that the government has made some new offers to the union and some progress have been made.
He, however, said that the union leaders would report to their organs and get back to the government on the position of their members
