The Federal Government has established committees to address key issues raised by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), following an ultimatum issued by the union nearly three weeks ago. This was confirmed by ASUU’s Vice President, Prof. Chris Piwuna, in an interview with *The PUNCH* in Abuja. The committees are set to meet on September 11, 2024.
These decisions came at the end of a closed-door meeting between ASUU leaders and representatives from the Federal Ministry of Education, headed by Minister Prof. Tahir Mamman. The committees will focus on resolving concerns related to the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), Earned Academic Allowances (EAA), and salary arrears.
“The meeting is over; committees were set up to resolve the IPPIS/EAA and salary arrears issues. The committee is to meet 11th next week,” Piwuna briefly told *The PUNCH*.
ASUU had threatened a nationwide strike following resolutions made at its National Executive Council meeting on August 19, 2024, at the University of Ibadan. The union’s demands include improved welfare for lecturers, better university funding, and a halt to the proliferation of universities across the country.
In response to the ultimatum, the Minister of Education acknowledged that many of the issues raised by ASUU date back to 1981. He explained that some matters, such as ASUU’s exit from IPPIS, have already been resolved, with implementation delays attributed to bureaucracy. Mamman expressed confidence that the upcoming meeting would lead to the resolution of several of the union’s concerns.
The minister also urged ASUU to remain open-minded during negotiations to ensure that the interests of all parties are fairly represented. He emphasized the government’s commitment to finding a lasting solution to the recurrent issues between ASUU and the federal authorities.
