The Academic Staff Union of Universities ASUU recently met with the leadership of the Senate as part of efforts geared towards bringing an end to the indefinite strike embarked on by the varsity lecturers.
ASUU used the occasion of the meeting to present a new payroll system for its members to the leadership of the Senate.
The new system called University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) was recommended by the union to replace the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) being used for federal government workers.
The Heritage Times Presents 5 Things you Should Know About UTAS.
1. What is UTAS?
The University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) is a payment software developed by ASUU in 2019. It is a prototype of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).
2. Background to UTAS:
Events leading to the development of UTAS began in February 2014 when ASUU told the Federal Government about their reservations for IPPIS. 5 years later in 2019, The Union’s National President, Professor Biodun Ogunyemi told newsmen in Abuja that:
“We thought they agreed with us; they said we should nominate three people and they will also nominate three persons; then we should come up with a platform that will be acceptable to ASUU.
“We did not hear anything from them until in July 2019 when ASUU members were asked to enrol into the IPPIS.
“The platform we had in mind is the one we have now started because they pushed us to the point of taking on the challenge.
3. Legal Backing:
Fast Forward to October 2020, Profesor Ogunyemi revealed that varsity lecturers preference for UTAS was backed by legal provisions.
“The University Miscellaneous (Provisions) (Amendment) Act (2003), which government gazetted as University Autonomy Act (2007), has vested the powers of personnel and payroll system issues in the hands of each university’s governing council,” he said.
4. Supports The War Against Corruption:
ASUU is urging the federal government to use UTAS in effecting accountability and transparency and in the process of payments of lecturers’ emoluments.
5. UTAS or Nothing:
The union says it would stop at nothing in ensuring the implementation of UTAS which they say is better than the IPPIS.
