IPPIS: Suspend Strike Now, FG Tells ASUU

The Federal Government has asked the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to suspend their industrial action.
Chris Ngige, Minister of Labour and Employment, made the call in an interview on Sunday.
ASUU proceeded on strike in March after the Federal Government insisted that it will implement the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), a platform created to track and halt the siphoning of government resources.
According to Ngige, it is time for ASUU to return to the classroom to manufacture drugs as the potential cure to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) currently ravaging the country.
The minister said it is unpatriotic for those who should be conducting research for the discovery of new drugs and medical equipment that would be used during the COVID-19 period to say that they were at home.
“The government has shown enough goodwill. The expectation now is ASUU should announce the calling off of their strike, go back to the classroom and get back to the negotiating table and continue negotiations,” Ngige told the Vanguard.
“Two reasons why they should call off the strike is that one government has shown goodwill, it has offered the olive branch that you are on a wrong strike and there is the issue of no work, no pay but the government is paying you. After all, the government is giving palliative to people, so why not extend it to you and your family members.
“Second, it is immoral and despicable for those who should be conducting research as Nigerians for the discovery of new drugs, medical equipment that will be used during the Covid19 period to say that they are at home playing ludo and draft and other games.
“Even if schools are not open the ASUU members especially researchers are supposed to be going into their laboratories, going to botanical gardens to get some shrubs and other plants to be used in producing drugs during this COVID-19.
“Those who are pharmacologists, those of them who are in the electronic department and software engineers, this is the time for research to manufacture ventilators or make some conventions. “It is unpatriotic for them to even continue saying that they are on strike at this time. They should not be saying it.”