IPPIS, ASUU Strike and COVID-19 Pandemic -By Muhammad Auwal Ibrahim

Academics otherwise known as lecturers in Nigeria under the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) are opposing the recently introduced intergrated Personnel Payroll information System (IPPIS) in the late 2019 by the federal government to stop irregularities in Nigerian universities.

The issue has called for so many debates between the latter and the former which led to two-week warning strike. IPPIS has so many benefits to students, unemployed Nigerians and the federal government as the case maybe.

According to the federal government, with the aid of IPPIS, more than 50, 000 ghost workers have been detected. At the same time, students will be happy because the number of sabbaticals their lecturers go for, are reduced. Therefore, this will earn them more time and attention from their lecturers. Because of this said IPPIS, several unemployed Nigerians have secured employment with tertiary institutions.

ASUU on their side are alone. Always repeating that IPPIS is against the universities law. In fact, their national president was saying that there is nothing wrong for lecturers to teach in more than two universities. Claiming that they can borrow and share ideas from other universities. I am not denying these but are students considered. Justice is not done to them in most cases. Some lecturers go for sabbatical and leave their students without giving them proper attention.

Time after time, academics strike in Nigeria is no longer a news. Though ASUU strike  is an unwanted break for students. Not all students but serious ones. I am aware of the students that are happy with the strike. Those who jubilated with their friends are happy with the strike, either online or physically are mostly freshers, unserious and those who don’t know the pains of ASUU strike.

Aside from the aforementioned, ASUU said that IPPIS is not the only reason for the strike. They said they have pending agreement with the federal government. One can recall that this has been the cause of several strikes in the past. Nigeria is getting 60 yet ASUU still go on strike year by year except few years.  Although I am too young, but I don’t hear about academics going on strike in other countries. Even in our neighbouring-countries. And at the same time, our colleagues and seniors travel overseas for studies. They travel to Malaysia, UK, India and other countries. Still, they complete their studies within a short period of time. While in Nigeria, we keep on experiencing strikes. It delays studies.

All students are left at a corner as all institutions are closed including polytechnics, colleges, monotechnic, Police Academy, private universities, nursery, primary and secondary schools and etc. Those who are not affected by the ASUU strike initially, are now affected. Coronavirus Pandemic halts everything.

Coronavirus Pandemic out break led to the closure of nigerian universities amidst ASUU strike. And now that ASUU embarked on an indefinite strike, students have no hope to return early even if coronavirus ends. Everyone’s concern now is on Covid-19. Meeting cannot be held between ASUU and the federal government except with digital devices as no physical gathering of many people is allowed in order to prevent the spread of the virus.

In abroad, classes are moved to the internet I.e online. But unfortunately, in Nigeria, nothing like that except in Lagos where they will use electronic media to teach. As time goes on, the unwanted vacation otherwise known as social distancing will elapse without continueuing with studies i.e for those not affected with ASUU strike.

Now, that Covid-19 is in Nigeria, people will believe that it is real. And now should be the high time for us to become more serious. Thousands of lives, are lost globally. The best way to tackle this is to turn to Almighty Allah and seek for His for giveness if only we want to overcome the present tough time we are facing, the coronavirus pandemic and many other things that may come. This is the stand of so many Islamic scholars.

Concerning this coronavirus disease, the federal government didn’t do the needful to prevent it from coming into Nigeria at the initial. Failure to close the airports, borders on time is the first mistake Nigeria made. The “no going out and no coming in” order as contained in the Islamic teachings was not used. The carelessness of Nigerians should stop like this if not, they will keep endangering people’s lives.

I have listened to various Islamic scholars in Nigeria. They include Shayhk Ahmad Tijjani Yusuf Guruntum, Shaykh Musa Yusuf Asadus-Sunnah, Late Shaykh Albani Zaria amongst others talked about the causes of disease out break in Islam. They said that we should repent and turn to The Almighty Allah.  They also warned muslims from committing the acts of sin. And also added that we should the follow the advise of health experts.