The Federal Government has reassured tertiary institutions that everything is being done to faithfully implement the directive by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on exiting of staff of tertiary institutions from the Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System (IPPIS) platform.
Minister of Education, Professor Tahir Mamman, SAN, made the commitment in his office in Abuja when he received the leadership of the committee of Provost of Colleges of Education in Nigeria.
Recall that President Tinubu had on 13th December, 2023, approved the exception of members of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and other staff of public tertiary institutions from IPPIS.
The enrollment of public tertiary institutions’ staff on the IPPIS platform had been a subject of contention between the Federal Government and staff unions of the institutions, leading to strike actions by ASUU in particular.
But in an attempt to create industrial harmony for the smooth running of the institutions, President Tinubu directed that the staff of public universities and other tertiary institutions captured in IPPIS, be removed from the payment platform.
Offering more explanations on the presidential directive, after the Federal Executive Council meeting in December last year, Minister of Information and National Orientation Muhammed Idris said: “Today, the universities and other tertiary institutions have gotten a very big relief from the integrated payroll and personnel information system.
“You will recall that the university authorities and the others have been clamouring for the exemption of the universities and other tertiary institutions from this system.
“Today, council has graciously approved that. What that means is that going forward, the universities, as the Minister of Education has said, and other tertiary institutions, the polytechnics and colleges of education, will be taken off the IPPIS.
“What that means in simple language is that the university authorities and other tertiary institutions will now be paying their own personnel from their own end instead of relying on the IPPIS.”
Director, Press and Public Relations, Mr Ben. Bem Goong in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja, quoted the Minister of Education, Prof. Mamman during a meeting with the leadership of the committee of Provost of Colleges of Education in Nigeria, as saying that the Federal Ministry of Education would do everything possible within the ambit of the law to facilitate the full implementation of the presidential directive on IPPIS as it affects tertiary institutions in the country.
Mamman also promised a consistent and positive interface with the committee to ensure industrial peace and harmony in the Nation’s Colleges of Education.
The Committee of Provosts of Colleges of Education Nationwide is made up of Provosts of Federal, States as well as Private Colleges of Education.
Speaking in the same vein, the Minister of State for Education, Dr. Yusuf Sununu admonished the positive attitude of the leadership of the Colleges of Education, adding that the Ministry would reciprocate the gesture in order to ensure a harmonious working relationship between the Ministry and all Colleges of Education nationwide.
Sununu called on the leadership of the Colleges of Education and relevant stakeholders to close ranks with the Ministry to ensure improved enrolment of students into the colleges in order to guarantee a steady supply of qualified teachers at the Basic level of our Educational system.
The Minister added that the Ministry would continue to work hard to create incentives for teachers as well as mobilize enrolment into the Colleges of Education.
Speaking earlier, Chairman of the committee of all provosts of Colleges of Education Nationwide, Professor Faruk Haruna and the Chairman of the Committee of Provosts of Federal Colleges of Education Dr. Ali Adamu were unanimous in appealing to the Ministers to facilitate the implementation of the presidential directive to take Colleges of Education out of the IPPIS.
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