By Stella Odueme
The Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN) and heads of Federal Colleges of Agriculture across the country have thrown their weight behind the Academic Staff Union of Colleges of Agriculture (ASUCA) over its call for a review of the disbursement of CATA funds and the exit of the colleges from the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS).
The Executive Secretary of ARCN, Dr. Abubakar Adamu Dabban, expressed the council’s support when he received the national leadership of ASUCA, stressing that the issues raised by the union directly affect the effectiveness, efficiency and sustainability of the institutions as well as the management of their human resources.
Dabban said in a statement by his Public Relations, Khadijat O. Ameen, on Tuesday that Federal Colleges of Agriculture occupy a strategic position in Nigeria’s agricultural development architecture, noting that beyond producing skilled manpower, the institutions contribute to agricultural research, innovation, extension, entrepreneurship, technology transfer and practical solutions to challenges confronting the sector.
He said the proposed transition from IPPIS should not be viewed merely as an administrative exercise or a change in payroll platforms, but as an opportunity to strengthen personnel administration and improve institutional efficiency.
According to him, any new framework must be responsive to the peculiar requirements of agricultural education, training and related institutional activities while maintaining transparency, accountability and compliance with government regulations.
The ARCN boss assured the union of the council’s support, saying the process must protect the interests of the Federal Government, the institutions and members of staff who depend on an efficient and reliable personnel administration system.
He, however, cautioned that greater flexibility in personnel administration must be accompanied by stronger accountability.
Dabban said the transition must not create room for payroll irregularities, duplication of personnel, ghost workers, unauthorised payments or financial leakages.
He advocated accurate and regularly updated staff records, comprehensive personnel verification, effective internal controls, proper authorisation procedures, periodic audits and robust digital monitoring mechanisms.
Also backing the ASUCA position, the President of the National Committee of Heads of Colleges of Agriculture and Related Disciplines (NACHCARD), Dr. Chukwu O. O. Chukwu, said the committee would support the union.
Chukwu, who was represented by the Secretary of NACHCARD, Dr. Jude Ejike, said the body would support the association in every possible way to improve staff welfare and service delivery.
Ejike said the committee’s support was aimed at enhancing manpower planning, facilitating the timely replacement of critical personnel, improving staff deployment and strengthening institutional productivity.
The National President of ASUCA, Comrade Dr. Kadurumba Chukwuemeka, also appealed for continued support for the union’s position, saying the move would boost the morale of lecturers in the colleges.
The stakeholders noted that Federal Colleges of Agriculture have unique staffing structures and operational requirements involving academic staff, technologists, instructors, extension specialists, farm managers, administrative personnel, technicians and other technical and support staff.
They stressed that the responsibilities of these personnel are closely linked to practical agricultural training, research, extension and institutional production activities.
Dabban further called for close collaboration among ARCN, the Federal Colleges of Agriculture, relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies, and government institutions responsible for public service administration, budgeting, finance, personnel and payroll management.
He said the collective responsibility of all stakeholders was to ensure a smooth and properly coordinated transition that would minimise disruption to salary administration and institutional operations while establishing a sustainable framework for effective human-resource management.