Odita Sunday 
By Odita Sunday
The Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN) and heads of federal colleges of agriculture have thrown their weight behind the Academic Staff Union of Colleges of Agriculture (ASUCA) in its push for a review of CATA fund disbursement and the withdrawal of the institutions from the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS).
The Executive Secretary of ARCN, Dr Abubakar Adamu Dabban, gave the backing on Tuesday when he received the national leadership of ASUCA, saying the move could help address some of the peculiar personnel and administrative challenges facing the institutions.
Dabban said the federal colleges of agriculture were too important to the country’s agricultural development to operate under systems that did not adequately reflect their unique needs.
He said the colleges were not only responsible for training agricultural manpower but also played roles in research, innovation, extension services, entrepreneurship and technology transfer.
According to him, the way personnel and payroll are managed directly affects the ability of the institutions to deliver on those responsibilities.
Dabban said the proposed exit from IPPIS should therefore be seen as more than a change in payroll platform, but as an opportunity to build a system that better responds to the realities of agricultural education and training.
In a statement signed by Khadijat O. Ameen, Public Relations Officer to the Executive Secretary of ARCN, Dabban, however, warned that greater flexibility must come with stronger accountability.
The ARCN boss said any new arrangement must guard against payroll irregularities, ghost workers, duplicate personnel, unauthorised payments and other forms of financial leakage.
He called for regular staff verification, accurate personnel records, effective internal controls, periodic audits and digital monitoring to ensure that the transition does not undermine financial discipline.
“We are committed to ensuring that this process is conducted responsibly and in a manner that protects the interests of the Federal Government, the institutions and, most importantly, the members of staff who depend on an efficient and reliable personnel administration system,” Dabban said.
He also stressed the need for ARCN, the colleges, relevant ministries and government agencies responsible for public service, finance, budgeting and payroll administration to work together to ensure a smooth transition.
The National Committee of Heads of Colleges of Agriculture and Related Disciplines (NACHCARD) also backed the union’s position.
Its President, Dr Chukwu O. O. Chukwu, who was represented by the committee’s Secretary, Dr Jude Ejike, said the body would support ASUCA in efforts aimed at improving staff welfare and service delivery.
Ejike said a more responsive system would help the colleges plan their manpower needs, replace critical personnel on time, deploy staff more effectively and improve institutional productivity.
ASUCA National President, Comrade Dr Kadurumba Chukwuemeka, had sought the support of the council and the college heads, saying the proposed changes would help improve the morale of lecturers.
The union’s position is coming against the backdrop of the specialised staffing needs of federal colleges of agriculture, which employ academics alongside technologists, instructors, extension specialists, farm managers, technicians and other support personnel.
Dabban said the ultimate goal should be to establish a personnel management system that recognises these realities without compromising transparency, accountability or government regulations.
He said the stakeholders must ensure that the transition does not disrupt salaries or the day-to-day running of the institutions while creating a more sustainable framework for managing their workforce.
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