Sometimes, I am baffled by the level of ignorance exhibited by some on this platform. I wish you could do a little research through enquiries from friends and or family members who are academics in any of Nigerian universities or polytechnics to have better insight into the ills of the manipulative platform called IPPIS.

The academics are not just called intellectuals for no reason. ASUU, the umbrella body of academics in Nigeria has been in the forefront of revamping the citadels of learning in the country against the several plots of hawks in government who have attempted, in vain, to commercialise tertiary education beyond the reach of commoners. A similitude of the decadence that ASUU is fighting against is what has played out in the health sector as exposed by the current pandemic.

It is instructive to clarify here that ASUU is pivotal to the little gains recorded in Nigerian universities today. A notable mention is the TETFUND, which morphed from ETF, and has been the go-to-fund for many state universities, including our own KWASU. ASUU, under the former INEC Chairman, Attahiru Jega, fought for additional funding for the varsities and provide the ETF option, including fund sourcing strategies, when the then Military Government insisted that there was no money to fund the varsities.

I doubt whether you are aware of the proposed astronomical hike in tuition being pushed by the FG through the Babalakin Committee. This, if accepted by ASUU, would have summarily priced tertiary education away from the reach of less privileged children from poor homes.

On IPPIS, many who ignorantly or out of trust of this administration subscribed to the platform, are full of regret as I write. A professor in ABU is yet to get his February salary, not to mention March salary after defying ASUU directive on non-enrolment of members. Many of his ilks have experienced shortfall in salaries ranging from N65,000 to over N200,000. A professor in UNILAG took home a paltry N65,000 in February 2020! It is the same sordid tales for non-academic staff under the umbrella bodies as SSANU, NASU and NAAT as well ASUP, NASUP and COEASU in the polytechnics and federal colleges of education.

Are you aware that the arrears of consequential adjustment in salaries from April 18 till date is yet to be paid, even to those who registered on IPPIS since last year? Has the office of AGF either informed the public or explained the delay? ASUP, NASU and SSANU who reported several assurances from the federal government to be paid these arrears in February are yet to receive credit alert till date. For your information, ASUP, SSANU, NASU and other industrial unions in the tertiary institutions are also gearing up for total and indefinite strike immediately the pandemic subsides unless and except all the anomalies in the payments made thus far are rectified, given the repeated failings and many unfulfilled promises in this regard.

No amount of campaign of calumny will make ASUU shy away from its patriotic stance at redeeming our tertiary institutions.

Smart one