Why FG may consider ASUU’s proposed payment platform

There are strong indication that the Federal Government may consider the adoption of the University Transparency Account System (UTAS) presented by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).The UTAS, developed by ASUU is an alternative payment platform to the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) adopted by the Federal Government.The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, while addressing journalists after about two and half hours closed-door meeting with the leadership of the Senate and ASUU said the alternative payment platform presented by ASUU was home grown and worth given thorough assessment test.He 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 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 scheme to integrity test and in doing so, it will be presented to users like the office of Accountant General of the Federation on Wednesday.“After that, it will be sent to the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and from there to the office of the National Security Adviser for second look.“The platform is an option grown device that requires stage by stage consideration and from the looks of things it is good.”Also speaking on the outcome of the meeting, the Chairperson, Senate Committee on Tertiary Education and TetFund, Ahmad Baba Kaita, said that the interface had not ended, but a stage of compromise is getting closer between the two parties.According to him, the meeting brokered by the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, among other stakeholders, achieved a lot with agreement on the need to subject the UTAS alternative brought forward by ASUU to integrity test by all relevant departments of the government.Meanwhile, the ASUU leadership refused to speak to the press after the meeting.