ASUU threatens NITDA chief with certificate withdrawal over UTAS

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi branch, on Thursday threatened to initiate a process for the withdrawal of the degree certificate awarded to the Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa, by the institution over the University Transparency Accountability Solution (UTAS).

The union was reacting to NITDA’s position on the platform.

Inuwa had on March 9 claimed that UTAS which was developed by ASUU as an alternative to the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) preferred by the Federal Government failed integrity and other tests required for its utilization.

This came a few days after ASUU accused the agency of peddling lies on the status of the platform.

However, in a statement issued by its Chairperson, Ibrahim Inuwa and Secretary, Muhammad Muhammad Inti, at the end of a meeting on Thursday, the union challenged the NITDA chief to reveal the truth on its preferred platform.

The statement read: “The DG of NITDA is requested to retrace his steps to the path of truth and academic excellence for which ATBU had awarded him a degree, failure of which the Union will be left with no option but to initiate the process of withdrawal of his degree certificate as an alumnus of ATBU, Bauchi.

“ASUU ATBU Bauchi is particularly sad that both the Minister of Communications, Isa Ali Pantami and DG, NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa are products of our prestigious University, known for its high standards of learning and discipline.

“Consequently, ASUU-ATBU reminds The DG NITDA that the test on UTAS is a scientific procedure, we therefore urge you to allow a high sense of professionalism and ethics by NITDA Technical Team prevails and not take instructions from above that can compromise the integrity of NITDA as an agency to certify home grown software technologies.

READ ALSO: ASUU STRIKE: Management shuts down UI indefinitely

The Director- General of National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa, on 9th March 2022 after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the prompting of the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ali Pantami made a claim that implied that the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) had failed integrity test, vulnerability test (security integrity), User Acceptance Test (UAT) and stress load test, as well as the hardware requirements.

“ASUU ATBU Bauchi is not surprised at the calculated attempt by agents of the government, particularly the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy and DG, NITDA, to kill UTAS, a robust home-grown technology suitable for the management of the University System.

“Both men had demonstrated severe nationalism deficiency syndrome in their dealings and handling of critical issues as it concerns their offices and position in the government revealing how ill-equipped they are with the current status of public Universities in Nigeria.”

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now