Minister of State for Education Emeka Nwajiuba stated that ASUU can’t prescribe to FG which platform to use to pay their salary.
He said this in Abuja, just after receiving his APC presidential nomination form.
According to the Minister, “It is impractical and incongruous to continuously expect somebody who is paid a salary continues to dictate to the someone who pays him”
“This is how to pay me. This is where this anomaly is,”
Mr Nwajiuba also appealed to the striking lecturers to return to the classroom as the FG is working to address some of their concerns.
“We have pleaded with ASUU that ‘If there any areas where your salaries fall short, kindly address them within the ambit of IPPIS because that’s what the government has now”.
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According to him, the strike embark by ASUU was uncall for, and expresses worry over the impact of the union’s action on the education of Nigerian students.
“Why they have chosen to go on strike over this (IPPIS) is what you and I can explain. There is nothing that ASUU wants that we have not agreed to. We would like them to go back to classes so that students can go back to class,” Nwajiuba added.
“We pay them as the nation earns. They would receive money when the country makes money’.
“What we don’t want is for the children to miss out on the opportunity of their time since children must grow inside a timeframe”.
“The child is impatient. It is critical that ASUU return to class.”
The minister’s remark adds to the ongoing disputes in public institutions around the country over payment arrangements for academics.
While the union claims that University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) should introduce payment.
FG also claims that the payment mechanism does not meet technical standards.
