The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has called on the Federal Government to release outstanding promotion arrears owed its members in the interest of industrial peace and harmony.

The call came after a National Executive Council, NEC, meeting held at the University of Maiduguri on Thursday.

The body in a statement said: “NEC noted with serious concern that ASUU members are currently owed several months of promotion arrears arising from distortions traceable to the forceful enrollment of academics on the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information platform. NEC observed that the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation has failed to address the issue despite several efforts by the union and university administrations.

“Consequently, ASUU calls on the OAGF to ensure the immediate release of backlog of promotion arrears to our members in the interest of industrial peace and harmony.

“NEC was disturbed by reports of massive employment racketeering perpetuated by operators of the discredited IPPIS, including scandalous revelations at the recent sittings of House of Representatives’ Probe Panel on IPPIS. NEC observed that the unsavoury trend has eroded university employment tradition in violation of the provisions of the Universities (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2003, and Guidelines for Appointments and Promotions of individual universities. ASUU rejects all illegal appointments sponsored by the IPPIS and its agents in Nigerian public universities,” the Statement read.