The National Information Technology Development Agency, NITDA, has told the House of Representatives that the Integrated Personnel Information System (IPPIS), the University Transparency Accountability Solution (UTAS) and the University Peculiar Personnel and Payroll System(U3PS) failed its integrity tests regarding the university payroll.
This was disclosed by NITDA reps, as Lawmakers invited the agency alongside the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission to finalise issues related to the strike.
NITDA stated that the government directed it to test the UTAS in October 2020 and that the platform failed two integrity tests conducted by it.
What NITDA is saying
NITDA said that following the first test, ASUU was asked to go back and review which it did. Yet the platform did not meet NITDA requirements the second time.
“For the 3rd time, NITDA was then asked to conduct tests on UTAS, IPPIS and U3PS, which all the 3 platforms failed its requirements regarding the payroll system of universities,” NITDA said.
The Speaker of the House, Gbajabiamila asked if NITDA advised the government to take action on the lapses found on IPPIS which has been in operation by FG since 2011, but NITDA responded that it was not in a position to do so.
NITDA also stated that it never queried the IPPIS platform.
Meanwhile, the Head of Service of the Federation, Mrs Folashade Yemi-Esan, said the Ministry of communications and digital economy wrote her office following NITDA’s observation about IPPIS on the need to take a holistic look at the platform, and that a committee was empaneled to carry out the assignment.
She said, “IPPPIS is not just a payment platform but that it also has a human resource component, which all government agencies have been directed to activate, noting that all those directly under her purview have since complied.”
Again, @femigbaja, @HouseNGR leadership meet Head of Service, others over ASUU strike pic.twitter.com/lTNzzJJeZl
— Speaker of the House of Representatives (@SpeakerGbaja) September 22, 2022
What you should know
- ASUU had on February 14, 2022, embarked on a 4-week total and comprehensive strike to press home their unresolved demands on the federal government.
- Some of the lecturers’ demands include funding for the revitalisation of public universities, payment of earned academic allowances, and adoption of the University Transparency Accountability Solution (UTAS) as a preferred payment option, instead of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) and payment of promotion arrears.
- Nairametrics reported earlier this week that Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila noted that the House invited the Accountant General of the Federation, the Auditor General of the Federation, the Director General of the National Information Development Agency (NITDA) and his counterpart in the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission, to finalise negotiations for the onward presentation of agreement to President Muhammadu Buhari for approval and implementation.
