The Port Harcourt zone of Academic Staff Union of Universities has insisted that it will not under any circumstance join the Integrated Personal Payroll Services, IPPIS, of the federal government, saying the service is a fictitious claim by the federal government against corruption.
Co-ordinator of the Port Harcourt Zone of ASUU, Uzo Onyebinama, stated their position at a media briefing in the Rivers State capital.
Onyebinama said the IPPIS is a calculated attempt to impoverish Nigerians just to benefit the elites, arguing that the IPPIS is incapable of checking cases of ghost workers.
The zonal coordinator further challenged the Minister for Finance to publish the list of ghost workers and organizations where the much talked about savings have been made.
“The argument by the Federal Government on the imposition of IPPIS is a fictitious claim of fighting corruption.
“We challenge the Accountant-General of the Federation and the Minister of Finance to publish the names of the said ghost workers and their organizations from where the alleged savings have been made as well as the actions taken as proof of a government fighting against corruption.
“The IPPIS is part programme of government to undermine public universities. Our union has no sympathy for corruption contrary to the campaign of calumny by the Accountant-General of the Federation,” he said.
States and Federal Universities in Rivers and Bayelsa state make-up the Port Harcourt zone of ASUU with the Chairpersons of ASUU in UNIPORT, Rivers State University, Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Niger Delta University and Federal University Otuoke, all in attendance.
