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ASUU rejects GIFMIS as IPPIS alternative, insists on UTAS for payroll management

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The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has rejected the federal government’s proposed alternative payroll platform intended to replace the IPPIS.

The IPPIS, Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System, was introduced in 2006 to manage the salaries of public sector workers.

Administered by the office of the accountant-general, the platform had increasingly accommodated federal tertiary institutions by 2016.

It however became the subject of heated protests for many public tertiary institutions over alleged unilateral manipulation and fraud.

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Administrators across universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education argued that its centralised nature eroded the powers of provosts and governing councils since the head of the civil service often had to determine what staffers were employed and when.

ASUU had proposed the Unified Treasury Accounting System (UTAS) as an alternative, subjecting it to the government’s integrity tests.

But the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) said the UTAS had failed three of its integrity tests.

In October 2024, the federal government rolled out guidelines for the removal of federal tertiary institutions from the IPPIS.

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It said institutions will now self-process and forward their payroll to the IPPIS department of the accountant-general’s office for vetting.

Payment is then to be done through the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS) from November.

ASUU, which is a major stakeholder in the tussle with the federal government over payroll management, has rejected the GIFMIS.

Emmanuel Osodeke, the ASUU president, said the union’s stance is in line with the autonomy of the nation’s tertiary institutions.

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“The finances of the university should be managed by the governing council. That’s what the law says. It does not say by the accountant general’s office,” he said.

“Every year, the governing council directs the vice-chancellor to defend its budget at the national assembly. When the budget is approved including salary, remuneration, and overhead, it will go to the president for assent and it becomes a law.

“That money should be released to the governing council to pay its staff. That is the autonomy we are talking about as stipulated in the law.”

Osodeke said the union had rejected the IPPIS because its implementation not only eroded university autonomy but meddled with its internal affairs and violated Section 24A of the Universities Miscellaneous Provisions (Amendment) Act 2003.

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He said universities should be given autonomy to be able to plan for staff member recruitment and how to pay their salaries.

Osodeke faulted the guidelines by the government detailing the process for the formal exit of federal tertiary institutions from IPPIS.

He said the accountant-general is playing games with ASUU by transferring the union to what he termed an “appendage” of the IPPIS.

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PHOTO: Courtesy visit to Priesthood Orphanage by Just Friends Club of Nigeria Founder

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Dr. (Mrs) Blessing Echenwo, left, founder of Priesthood Orphanage, Karamajiji, Abuja and Mrs. Maria Cardillo, a member of Just Friends Club of Nigeria, during the visit of the club to the orphanage in Abuja…recently

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Just in: NYSC Releases Batch ‘C’ Corps Members Call Up Letters

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The National Youth Service Corps has announced the release of the 2024 Batch ‘C’ Stream I call-up letters for prospective corps members.

The corps made the announcement in a series of post on its official X (former Twitter) handle on Monday.

It said orientation camp for the stream is expected to start on November 27, 2024 and closes on December 17, 2024.

According to the post, “some prospective corp members posted to Lagos will have orientation in Ogun and Osun.

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“While some of those posted to Zamfara will have in Kebbi and Sokoto etc”

The corps, however, advised prospective corps members to print and sign an addendum, which will be submitted during registration at the orientation camp.

Tips to guide Deployed Prospective Corps Members

Do not travel to the Orientation Camps at night. Break your journey when necessary.
Report on your scheduled reporting date.
Apply for spelling error and name rearrangement on your dashboard.
After documentation in the Camp, you cannot change your Date of Birth, Date of Graduation, Course of Study and Passport Photograph.
Do not report to the Camp if there is any discrepancies in your course of study or with the Date of Graduation on your Statement of Result and your Call-up Letter. Contact your Institution to sort it out.
ATTENTION TO ALL 2024 BATCH ”C” STREAM I MARRIED FEMALE PROSPECTIVE CORPS MEMBERS

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All married female Prospective Corps members (PCMs) who are deployed to States where their husbands are not domiciled should report to the nearest NYSC Orientation Camp for their State of Deployment to be changed.

They are to report during the period of Registration at the Orientation Camps with the copies of their marital and other relevant documents as evidence. Once the change is made it will reflect on theirM dashboard for reprinting.

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Oba of Benin to withdraw suit as Okpebholo restores rights

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The Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, and the Benin Traditional Council may withdraw the suits they filed against the state government as Governor Monday Okpebholo, on Sunday, restored the full statutory rights of the Oba and reversed the policies of the previous administration that impacted the Benin Traditional Council.

A statement on Sunday by Okepebholo’s Chief Press Secretary, Fred Itua, said the governor abolished the new traditional councils in Edo South created by the immediate-past governor, Godwin Obaseki.

Okpebholo also backed the Federal Government’s recognition of the Oba’s palace as the custodian of repatriated Benin artefacts looted during the 1897 British colonial expedition.

Providing an insight into the governor’s gesture, the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Dr Samson Osagie, said it signaled the resolution of the crisis between the Oba of Benin and the Edo State government leading to lawsuits duringt the Obaseki’s administration.

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Osagies said, “The cases in court are cases which the Oba of Benin himself and the Benin Traditional Council instituted against the state government, and they are all civil matters. And you know that in civil suit or in any suit, parties are encouraged to settle amicably.

“So, if the parties are already settling and one side is already meeting the condition of settlement, the next step you are going to hear is that the party who went to court, which is the Oba of Benin, and the Benin Traditional Council, will instruct their counsel to withdraw the cases from court and that will be the end of the matter.

“The two parties are now settling for harmony and peace to reign, so the government is doing its own side of it.

“This statement is a prelude to discontinuing all legal proceedings with respect to the twin issues of the concession of the Oba Akenzua Cultural Centre by government to the Benin Traditional Council for 30 years and the creation of additional councils.”

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The statement by Okepebholo’s Chief Press Secretary outlined the administration’s commitment to restoring the dignity and authority of the Benin monarch.

“This administration also hereby abolishes the new traditional councils in Edo South, created by the last administration,” the statement noted.

Additionally, Governor Okpebhol revoked the decision of the Obaseki’s administration to convert the Oba Akenzua II Cultural Centre into a motor park.

The government announced plans to restore the cultural centre to its original purpose.

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“This administration is restoring the Oba Akenzua Centre to a suitable condition for its original purpose,” the statement added.

The governor also reinstated the financial entitlements of the Benin Traditional Council, ordering that the status quo before the creation of the abolished councils be maintained.

According to the statement, Okpebholo affirmed support for the Federal Government’s official gazette, which recognizes the Oba of Benin as the rightful owner and custodian of the repatriated Benin artefacts.

He also distanced his administration from the Museum of West Africa Art, instead backing the Benin Royal Museum project to house the artefacts.

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“The Federal Government has also issued a gazette for the recognition of ownership and custody of the repatriated Benin artefacts to the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II,” the statement explained. “Governor Okpebholo respects the rights and privileges of the traditional ruler of Benin kingdom… and pledges the support of his administration to ensure the monarch plays his role as the custodian of the rich cultural heritage of the Benin people.”

Okpebholo reiterated his administration’s respect for traditional institutions and vowed to avoid interference in the internal affairs of the Benin Traditional Council. “The Oba of Benin, as the father of all Benin people, is the sole custodian of the customs and traditions of the Benin people, and my administration respects customs and traditions in the land,” he stated, emphasising the government’s efforts to uphold the cultural and historical integrity of the Benin Kingdom.

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