The recent gathering in February 2024 at the State House, Abuja, where President Bola Tinubu met with the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Permanent Secretaries, and Directors-General, highlighted the critical role of bureaucracy in implementing government policies effectively and efficiently. President Tinubu emphasized the need to eliminate inefficiencies and unnecessary delays in government interventions.
An example of bureaucratic challenges surfaced during the dispute between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities regarding the transition of universities from the Government Integrated Financial Management System to the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS). ASUU objected to IPPIS due to its limitations in accommodating various aspects of university management, such as the recruitment of staff and timely replacements.
One of the major grievances was the lack of provision in IPPIS for handling salary arrears for academics promoted to professorial positions. This deficiency has resulted in numerous academics being owed promotion arrears dating back several years due to the system’s inadequacies.
Moreover, there have been allegations of malpractices, including unauthorized individuals receiving salaries through IPPIS, indicating the urgent need for thorough staff audits in agencies utilizing the platform. The lack of transparency in deductions and delayed remittances to staff cooperatives further exacerbate the inefficiencies of IPPIS.
Despite a court ruling and a presidential directive to migrate tertiary institutions away from IPPIS, there have been delays and confusion in the actual transition. The continued reliance on IPPIS, dubbed as ‘New IPPIS,’ by some university staff members highlights a disconnect in bureaucratic processes.
The failure to comply promptly with the presidential order and transition to a more suitable platform like GIFMIS, as initially suggested by ASUU, raises concerns about adherence to directives and highlights the challenges of bureaucratic coordination.
- Prof. Ighodalo Eromosele is former Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta