Dr. Chris Ngige, the Minister of Labour and Employment
By Johnbosco Agbakwuru – Abuja
Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, weekend, said that the Federal Government will look at the payment platform, University General Peculiar Payroll Payment System, UGPPPS, designed by the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities, SSANU and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities, NASU.
The non teaching staff Unions in the universities have been complaining of irregularities in payment of salary since they migrated to the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System, IPPIS, platform.
SSANU and NASU at the wake of the controversy designed their own platform as an alternative to the IPPIS.
Speaking when he received the immediate past President of SSANU, Comrade Samson Ugwoke and his successor, Comrade Mohammed Haruna Ibrahim in his office in Abuja, Senator Chris Ngige assured them that the Federal Government will look at UGPPPS as demanded by SSANU.
The Minister in a statement issued by his Media Office pointed out that any of such systems must have a “handshake with IPPIS and other payment systems in use by the Federal Government” as having such technology work in silos is being discouraged even globally.
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Speaking earlier, the immediate Comrade Ugwoke commended the Minister for the seasoned and dispassionate approach he conciliates trade disputes.
Ugwoke, who was on a thank-you visit and presentation of his successor, Mohammed Ibrahim, said, “We are here to present the new President of SSANU and ask that you extend the patriotism, friendship and understanding which I enjoyed to my successor.
“Your understanding of various challenges facing Nigerian workers operating under different unions, the patience and transparency with which you mediate, reawaken hope in us that government is committed to the welfare of workers.
“Your Excellency, I must say that a different approach in the face of decade long problems facing the nation’s workforce would have been counterproductive and am afraid, may have resulted in conflicts too diverse and complex to manage. So we plead you to keep it up. ”
On the controversial IPPIS payment platform, he informed the Minister of SSANU’s alternative, the University General Peculiar Payroll Payment System(UGPPPS) which it developed in conjunction with the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU).
He, however, said the union would reconsider its position if IPPIS would be updated to accommodate the peculiarities captured by UGPPPS.
