News
FG, ASUU Face-Off: ASUU Insists On UTAS To End Salary Irregularities
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Owerri zone, has urged the Federal Government to expedite action to deploy the University Transparency, Accountability Solution (UTAS), over the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), to resolve the issue of irregularity of salary payments among university staff.
Speaking at the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State, the Zonal Coordinator, ASUU, Owerri Zone, Comrade Uzo Onyebinama, explained that ASUU was unveiling the UTAS as a credible alternative to IPPIS, since IPPIS has failed to address major issues that border around personnel information and payroll system.
In his words; “IPPIS does not respect the nature, structure and character of the Nigerian University System. The IPPIS does not recognize agreements entered into between the government and university-based trade unions as well as does not ensure simultaneous payment of employees’ salaries and third party deductions such as tax, pension, union dues, cooperative, bank loans, among others.
“The development of UTAS was a concrete attestation to the capacity of Nigerian scholars and researchers to respond to our developmental challenges when tasked to provide solutions. We express optimism that government would not renege on its promise because the benefits of UTAS to the university system both public and private cannot be found in any other software today.”
Onyebinama stated that about four to seven months salaries of his members are being withheld because they rejected the IPPIS.
He said when the Federal Government first introduced the IPPIS in 2013-2014, it was rejected because of its pitfalls.
Onyebinama decried the government’s sudden imposition of the system on universities, such that if you do not deploy the IPPIS, your emoluments would be withheld.
The zonal coordinator, however, disclosed that the UTAS, software built by ASUU and its researchers for the financial administration of the university’s FG’s staff monthly payroll and accounting processes, is now ready for the “integrity tests” required of it by the government.
He also stated that apart from the prompt and accurate payment of salaries, the UTAS allows tracking of staff career progression, guarantees automation of staff and salary administration, permits data mining for intelligent analysis and guarantees national security and sovereignty.
On the outstanding issues of the February, 2019 FGN-ASUU Memorandum of Action (MoA), which was yet to be addressed after the expiration of the agreed timelines, Onyebinama urged well-meaning Nigerians to prevail on the government to address all outstanding issues in the February, 2019 MoA, live up to its promise to adopt UTAS and provide the needed revitalization fund for improved infrastructure for teaching, research and welfare of students.
Meanwhile, the Benin Zone Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), yesterday, called on the federal and state governments to establish Visitation Panels for federal universities to avoid clashes and conflicts among management and staffs.
The zone made up of University of Benin (UNIBEN), Benin City; Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma; Adekunle Ajasin University (AAUA) Akungba Akoko, Ondo State; Olusegu Agagu University of Science and Technology (OAUSTEC), Okitikpukpa, Ondo State; Delta State University, Abraka; and the Federal University of Petroleum Resources (FUPRE), Efurun, Delta State; also lamented the proliferation of state universities and called for checks.
A statement jointly signed by the Zonal Coordinator, Prof Fred Esumeh; Chairman ASUU, UNIBEN, Prof Monday Omoregie; Chairman, ASUU, AAU, Dr Monday Igbafen; Chairman, ASUU, AAUA, Dr Simon Ehiahbi; Chairman, ASUU, OAUSTEC, Dr Dapo Akomolafe; and Chairman, ASUU, FUPRE, De Ezekiel Agbalagba; said the crisis rocking University of Lagos would have been avoided if there was a Visitation Panel.
The statement also said that ASUU has opted for the University Transparency and Accountability Solution, which it said, would help curb corruption in the academic system as against the Integrated Payroll and Personal Information System (IPPIS).
It said the union rejected the IPPIS as a payment platform because they discovered that it was not suitable for the university system and was not designed to accommodate the peculiarities of academic institutions.
“UTAS is a robust software that is in many ways superior to the IPPIS because it accommodates the nature, character and structure of the Nigerian University System and is guaranteed to operate above the dismal distortions, disruptions and gross inconsistency in the payment of the universities’ staff salaries that have come to be the norm with IPPIS”.
On visitation panels, the statement said “The failure to institute visitation to universities is denying the system the benefit of the time-tested, self-regulatory mechanism. The union wishes to state that it will closely monitor the activities of the Special Visitation to the university (Lagos) to ensure justice is done. The union also wishes to remind the government of the need to constitute Visitation Panels to the other federal universities”
A Professor of Human Anatomy, with specialty in Physical and Forensic Anthropology at the University of Port Harcourt, Prof Gabriel Sunday Oladipo, has expressed delight over the successful delivery of the 207th Inaugural Lecture of the university, describing it as a significant milestone in his academic career.
This is even as he commended the Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof Owunari Georgewill for his tremendous support in achieving the feat.
Speaking in an interview following the lecture in Port Harcourt, the scholar said presenting an inaugural lecture represents one of the highest achievements in a university career, particularly after attaining the rank of professor.
“I feel good. It is a form of achievement. An inaugural lecture is one of the peaks of an academic career in the university, especially after becoming a professor. By the grace of God, I was able to achieve that and also let the world know my area of specialization and what we have been doing over the years. It makes me feel elated,” he said.
Prof Oladipo, who was elevated to the rank of professor in 2018, noted that the journey to the inaugural lecture was built on years of focused research and dedication to his field.
Tracing the motivation behind his research trajectory, he explained that his interest was sparked and rekindled as far back as 1998 during his undergraduate studies.
According to him, he observed that much of the data used in his area of medical research were sourced from foreign populations.
“I noticed as a medical student that most of the data we used were foreign data. I felt we needed local data that are ethnicity-specific. That was the genesis of the whole journey,” he explained.
He said the realization guided his academic pursuits through his master’s and PhD programmes, as he consistently worked towards generating research findings relevant to local populations.
On the reception of his inaugural lecture, the professor expressed satisfaction with the feedback from colleagues and attendees.
“I was happy because I was able to drive home my points, and people clearly understood my presentation. I also received very encouraging commendations from some colleagues,” he said.
The academic also acknowledged the support of the university’s leadership, describing the Vice Chancellor as “highly supportive” of his aspirations and professional growth, saying, “the way the university system runs, if the Vice Chancellor does not approve your inaugural lecture, you cannot present it.”
Inaugural lectures at the University of Port Harcourt provide a platform for newly appointed professors to formally present their research contributions and academic journey to the university community and the wider public.
Prof Oladipo, however, clarified that the Head of Department(HOD) of the Department of Anatomy at the University of Port Harcourt currently functions in acting capacity, in the person of Dr J S Hart.
The Africa Global Development For Positive Change Initiative (ADIAfrica), in collaboration with Stephen Igwe and Judith Igwe International Educational System, has concluded a free eye screening outreach for residents of Rivers State.
The outreach, which was flagged off in Port Harcourt, targeted more than 300 individuals with various eye conditions. Speaking at the event, the International President of ADIAfrica, Prince Dan Mbachi, said the initiative was designed to provide access to essential eye care services for underserved communities.
According to him, the first phase of the exercise commenced in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area and is expected to extend to Etche and Ikwerre Local Government Areas, while the second phase will cover other parts of the state.
Mbachi described the outreach as part of the organization’s commitment to promoting quality healthcare, equity, human dignity, and sustainable development. He emphasized that vision challenges go beyond medical concerns, noting their impact on education, economic productivity, and family wellbeing.
“At ADIAfrica International, we recognize that vision is not merely a medical issue; it is also economic, educational, and social. A child who cannot see clearly struggles to learn. A trader with impaired vision struggles to work. When sight is compromised, opportunity is limited,” he said.
He explained that the exercise provided eye tests, medications, visual field assessments, eyeglasses, contact lenses, and related accessories, stressing that the intervention was aimed at transforming lives rather than serving as a mere charitable gesture.
Mbachi further noted that the initiative aligns with ADIAfrica’s broader mission of advancing sustainable development through practical and people-centered solutions.
Also speaking at the event, a chief from Rumueme Kingdom in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Chief Livingston Akaninwo, commended the organisation and its partners for supporting vulnerable members of society. The traditional ruler expressed concern that many people with eye conditions suffer silently due to poverty and limited access to healthcare.
He called on the government and well-meaning individuals to support ADIAfrica’s efforts to enable the outreach to reach more communities across the state.Some beneficiaries, including Mrs. Veronica Peters Olera Pere, expressed gratitude to the organizers for the initiative and appealed for the programme to be extended to other parts of Rivers State to benefit more residents.
By: John Bibor
A three-day intensive training programme aimed at empowering adolescent girls with knowledge, life skills, and advocacy tools to eliminate Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and promote their wellbeing has ended at Okogbe Community in Ahoada West Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The programme, which held from February 26 to February 28, 2026, was organised by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Rivers State Ministry of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation. It brought together adolescent girls aged between 10 and 19 years drawn from five communities in the area, including Ubeta, Okogbe, Okaki, Akinima, and Akoh.
The training was designed to reactivate and strengthen girls’ clubs across Ahoada West, Abua/Odual, and Emohua Local Government Areas, with a strong focus on ending harmful traditional practices and equipping participants with knowledge to improve their health, safety, and social wellbeing.
Throughout the three days, facilitators engaged the girls in interactive sessions covering a wide range of topics such as menstrual hygiene, puberty education, communication skills, gender-based violence, child rights, personal hygiene, emotional intelligence, and the importance of empathy and peer support. Particular attention was given to the dangers and long-term consequences of FGM, which experts described as a serious violation of the rights of women and girls.
One of the facilitators, child protection advocate, Inyingi Irimagha, specifically of the Child Protection Network(CPN), emphasised the need to challenge harmful cultural practices that negatively affect girls, noting that culture should evolve when it threatens human dignity and health.
UNICEF Desk Officer at the Rivers State Ministry of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation, Victor Iseberetonma, also stressed that empowering young girls with knowledge and confidence remains one of the most effective strategies for eliminating FGM.
He attributed the successful organisation of the programme to the doggedness and commitment demonstrated by UNICEF, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mrs Lauretta Davies-Dimkpa, and others in making sure that no stone was left unturned for the smooth take-off of the programme, and particularly thanked UNICEF for the great work it is doing in the State.
Other facilitators, including Mr Unah Uchenna and Miss Lucy Uzodinma shared similar sentiments, and called for total elimination of FGM in the society.
Many of the participants described the training as enlightening and transformative, saying, it exposed them to important life lessons they had never received before. One of the girls said the programme helped her understand not only the dangers of FGM but also how to support others emotionally.
“It has educated us about what is wrong, especially about FGM and other issues affecting girls.
“We learned how to talk to people, how to empathise, how to console someone, and how to make others feel relaxed and understood,” Morrow Onisokien Burebure said.
Another participant explained that the programme went beyond discussions on harmful practices to include personal development and daily living skills.
“We learned about our values and how we should live our lives,” she said. “They taught us about menstrual hygiene, how to use sanitary materials properly, how to keep our bodies clean, wash our hands, and how to be friendly even with people we don’t know,” said Dowel Victory Bakewari of Community Secondary School, Akinima.
The participants also pledged to become advocates for change in their communities. One of them stated that she would share the knowledge gained during the training with others back home.
“I will tell people about the effects of FGM and how to stop it.We need to create awareness so that people will understand why it should not continue,” Ake Beauty enthused.
Another participant noted that the training gave her a better understanding of her body and the responsibilities that come with adolescence.
“It is good because we were taught what we need to know about our bodies as girls,” she said. We learned things we should do and things we should not do, and the dangers of FGM. I will tell people in my community that they should stop practising it,” Ebere Testimony Kenneth of Akala-Olu Community Secondary School, Ula-Upata said.
Some participants also expressed appreciation to the organisers for bringing the programme to their in communities, describing it as a life-changing opportunity. One of them simply said, “We thank the organisers for what they have done so far. They have helped us learn things that will protect our future.”
Facilitators at the programme explained that FGM remains deeply rooted in cultural traditions in some communities, which makes sustained awareness and community engagement essential. They noted that while culture plays an important role in society, harmful practices must be abandoned once they are recognised as dangerous.
According to the organisers, the programme successfully met its objectives by equipping participants with practical knowledge, leadership skills, and the confidence needed to speak out against harmful practices. They emphasised that the girls trained would serve as peer educators and change agents within their communities.
The organisers furthermore reaffirmed their commitment to continuing advocacy in efforts, strengthening girls’ clubs, and expanding grassroots awareness campaigns across Rivers State.
As the programme came to a close, the atmosphere was filled with optimism and determination. For the young participants, the training was not just an educational exercise but a call to action — one that has placed them at the forefront of effort to protect the rights, health, and future of girls in their communities.
By: Donatus Ebi
