Following the ongoing dispute between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) over the Integrated Personnel Payment System (IPPIS), the union has asked the FG to give them 18 months to develop their own preferred payment system, University Transparency and Accountability System (UTAS).
ASUU had commenced a two weeks warning strike after FG refusal to pay salaries of the union's members who refused to enrol into the IPPIS platform.
According to Vanguard, a source said, "ASUU pleaded that it should be given 18 months to develop the UTAS.
The union explained that developing the payment application software would take six months, the alpha testing of the equipment will take three months, what it calls Beta will take six months and rounding off the system to take three months.
"But the Federal Government team led by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige asked the union what will happen in the interim.
He told them that as the government waits for the 18 months for the development of the UTAS, they should in the interim enrol in the IPPIS starting from the middle of March, while special arrangements will be made to pay February salaries of those who have not registered with IPPIS."
Vigil360 reports that the conciliatory meeting that held between the FG and ASUU on Tuesday was inconclusive as to the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige said the government had made proposals to the union with possible solutions to the various issues in dispute.