FILE PHOTO: Members of Non-Academic Staff on Nigerian Universities during a protest  at National Assembly

By Jethro lbileke

The University of Benin branch of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), on Tuesday said it has lost trust and confidence in the federal government over failure to pay salaries and allowances of it members, four months after they enrolled into the compulsory Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).

The association in a statement jointly signed by its Chairman and the Secretary, Comrade Broderick Osewa and Comrade Enoma Aigbovoriuwa respectively, noted that FG has breached the trust and confidence of its members “in this whole garbage called IPPIS.”

It also kicked against the removal of all allowances such as hazard allowance, responsibility allowance, call duty allowance, shift duty allowance, among others, that were formerly enjoyed by the members, and was part of the memorandum of action that the federal government voluntary entered with SSANU in 2009.

The statement alleged that FG has blighted their trust and confidence of SSANU since the past four months its members enrolled into IPPIS, and vowed to begin the strike as soon as schools which are on lockdown due to the novel Coronavirus pandemic re-open.

“The development as shown by the federal Government through IPPIS has again lend credence to the fact that the federal Government cannot be trusted, since the Unions enrolment into IPPIS, the path has been littered with betrayals, resistance, half truth, and now outright sabotage.

“At present, no University worker knows his or her true salary or take home pay; IPPIS has brought increased tax regime, delayed salary payments, introduction of Housing Fund Scheme which ought to be optional, non remittal of Union dues deducted by IPPIS since February 2020 till date.”

SSANU appealed to “the Federal Government to direct IPPIS and the Accountant-General of the Federation to address to address these irregularities and anomalies immediately or as resolved, the Union and members will start a total and indefinite strike action immediately the schools re-open.

“The Union may have no option or choice than to resist IPPIS immediately the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown is lifted, if all these irregularities, deductions are not urgently addressed,” the statement said.