FG considers adoption of UTAS as proposed by ASUU

The Federal Government has resolved to consider the adoption of the University Transparency Account System (UTAS) being proposed by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) as alternative emoluments payments platform to the Integrated Payroll Personnel Information System (IPPS).

The Minister of Labour, Productivity and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, made this known on Tuesday after about two hours closed door meeting involving the Senate leadership, the Federal Government and ASUU leadership.

Ngige said the alternative platform presented by ASUU is home grown and worth given thorough assessment test.

The Minister said: “We agreed at the meeting to give required consideration to the UTAS alternative they came up with as a way of finding lasting solution to the lingering crisis over the implementation of IPPIS.

“We have neither jettisoned the implementation of the IPPIS nor fully accepted UTAS.

“The level we moved to now is to subject ASUU’s UTAS to integrity test and in doing so, it will be presented to users like the office of the Accountant General of the Federation on Wednesday.

“After that, it will be sent to the National Information Technology Development Agency and from there to the office of the National Security Adviser for a second look.

“The platform is an home grown device that requires stage by stage consideration and from the looks of things, it is good.”

Also, confirming the outcome of the meeting, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Tertiary Education and TETFund, Senator Ahmad Baba Kaita, said the interface had not ended but a stage of compromise is getting closer between the two parties.

Kaita said: “The meeting brokered by the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, among the various stakeholders achieved a lot today with agreement on the need to subject the UTAS alternative brought forward by ASUU to integrity test by all relevant departments of the government.”