From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), has alleged that, on annual basis, the Federal Government pays $44 to United Kingdom (UK) company managing the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), a platform for payment of salaries and other entitlements of Federal Government workers.
ASUU explained that $44 is a levy charged on every IPPIS account, which has amounted to huge foreign exchange demand.
ASUU President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodoke, disclosed the figure at the TETFund Alliance for Innovative Research (TETFAIR) showcase, on Thursday, at Innov8 Technology Hub, Airport Road, Abuja.
He decried continuous patronage of foreign goods and services by Nigerians, even when the services can be sourced locally.
He also called on Nigerians to deal with inferiority complex, which allows them to depend on services abroad, stating that every country in the world that wants to develop must use its ideas and use its people and those ideas are in the universities.
“In 2020, we were challenged to produce something better than IPPIS, it took us two months to produce it, UTAS, which we presented to National Assembly. We tested the two before them and IPPIS came last; but Nigeria insisted on using IPPIS.
“Every year, the Nigerian government pays $44 to a company in UK for paying me salary, and you reject the one in your university. You want to do anything you run abroad,” he said.
He lamented the pending human capital crisis that might hit Nigeria soon, as its workforce are increasing emigrating for greener pastures abroad.
The Union said its members are leaving the country seriously, alongside health care workers. While some leave Nigeria to engage in work abroad, others choose to leave the classroom for farming activities.
He said: “Nigeria is in deep crisis. Our best brains whether in the academic or medical, are leaving the country. Thousands of our colleagues, the good ones are leaving the country. Some are leaving to go and farm abroad. So, we must rescue our country. Allow the money for universities go into universities.”
Executive Secretary of TETFund, Sonny Echono, said in his remarks, that the TETFAIR was organized to support researchers in universities to bring their innovative ideas to fruition.
While reiterating the importance of Nigeria transiting to a knowledge-based economy, Echono stated that the world has moved from a resource-rich economy to a knowledge-based one and Nigeria cannot afford to lag behind.
“TETFund, as the foremost interventionist Agency in Nigeria’s tertiary education sector has deepened its intervention in content- based programmes. We are making conscious investments in support of research, innovation and development as it remains the most compelling strategy for accelerating sustainable growth,” he said.
Minister of State for Education, Hon. Yusuf Sununu, in his remarks, said the TETFAIR was not the only research effort being made towards national development, stating that Nigerian researchers were also engaged in multi prong efforts, including the development of vaccines for preventable diseases in Usman Danfodiyo University, Sokoto.
Sununu called on TETFund to scale up copyright ownership protection so that the innovators will not lose copyright ownership of their products and services.
Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong, in his remarks, described the occasion as a celebration of the remarkable innovative achievements over the year
He said the scheme serves as a platform for researchers and innovators to showcase their groundbreaking ideas to transform them into tangible solutions.
Lalong expressed confidence that the valuable experiences gained through the TETFAIR will empower Nigerian scholars to contribute significantly to their fields at home and internationally.