The Coordinator of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) in the South-South region, Aniekan Brown says members of the union cannot return to classrooms on empty stomach.

Brown who is in charge of Abia, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, and Ebonyi states maintained that in the interim, their members have not been paid salaries for periods ranging from four to nine months, and as such, their members will not return to classes until they are paid. Brown disclosed this on Tuesday while addressing journalists in Calabar, Cross River State capital.

He said the Federal Government should adopt it recently invented payment system for Universities with the name University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) as the option against the Federal Government Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).

According to him, the Union considers the IPPIS unsuitable for the university system. He said visitors to state universities should stand up to their responsibilities and state government should not establish universities they cannot fund.