FG directs immediate separation of varsities from IPPIS

The Federal Executive Council has demanded a speedy separation of the university system from the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System as approved last December.

This was one of the outcomes of the council’s meeting on Wednesday at the State House, Abuja.

The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, disclosed this in an update on key decisions made at the meeting on his verified X handle, @aonanuga1956.

On December 13, 2023, the FG approved the exemption of universities, polytechnics, colleges of education and other tertiary institutions of learning from the IPPIS.

It said, henceforth, remunerations to staff members of these institutions would no longer flow through the platform.

Onanuga said the directive on the separation of the universities from the IPPIS platform was given to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume.

Wednesday’s move is expected to address the long-standing challenge between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities.

FEC also ratified the establishment of the National University of Science and Technology in Abuja, a Pan African Institute dedicated to teaching African scientists and technologists.

Onanuga said the university is the first of its kind in the country and is expected to boost scientific and technological advancement in Africa.

“The council asked the Secretary of the Government of the Federation to expedite the implementation of the council’s decision made months ago, separating the universities from the IPPIS platform.

“The council ratified the anticipatory approval given on May 28 2023 by former President Muhammadu Buhari to establish the university in the Federal Capital.

“The university is the first of the network of Pan African Institutes of Science and Technology dedicated to teaching African scientists and technologists,” Onanuga tweeted.

The council also approved various contracts aimed at boosting agriculture and infrastructure development.

They include the procurement of tractors and agricultural equipment for national food security, engineering audit of upstream measurement equipment in the oil and gas sector, and supply of SUVs and operational vehicles to the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission.

The council also approved contracts for pre-field development studies for advanced declaration solution technology and procurement of substation connectors for the Transmission Company of Nigeria.

He wrote, “Although many contract memos were stepped down, the FEC approved some others. Among them were:

“Facility Maintenance Service submitted by EFCC, in favour of Julius Berger at a cost of N392m. The contract sum was less than the N533m approved in 2018 for the yearly maintenance of the headquarters of the EFCC in Abuja.

“Procurement of 2000 tractors, 4000 disc ploughs, 1000 disc ridges, 1200 tractor trailers and assorted spare parts. The items to be supplied are for the National Agricultural Mechanization Programme to strengthen national food security. Aftrade DMCC, which has done a similar job in Zimbabwe, Kenya, South Africa and Togo, will supply all the equipment and will also set up a plant to assemble the machinery, in the second stage of the contract.”

Others are a contract for the engineering audit of upstream measurement equipment and facilities in the Nigerian Oil and Gas Upstream Sector in favour of Messrs. PE Energy Limited. Completion will be 180 days.

Council also approved two contracts for the supply of SUVs and other operational vehicles to the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission. The contracts are in favour of Elizade Nigeria Limited, Lanre Shittu Motors and Vinicius Global Link Ltd.

It also approved a contract for the procurement of low and high-voltage substation connectors in favour of Messrs. Maglous Enterprises Limited.

“The connectors are for the Transmission Company of Nigeria,” Onanuga said.