Internal Security, Management of Funds and IPPIS Challenges among Unions and Cooperative Societies in Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria

Abstract

The constant outcry of misuse and mismanagement of funds in governmental organisations have given concern to several researches, debates and blame games. Our focus in this qualitative study is to interpretively examine the extent of internal security and management measures that are explorable in curtailing the inability to recover dues and third party loans in an IPPIS challenge-prone era among unions and cooperative societies in tertiary institutions in Nigeria, the University of Uyo, Uyo being our focus point. The study is an interpretive research that employed semi-structured interviews for the chairpersons of ASUU, SSANU, NASU and NAAT and the presidents of cooperative societies run by the unions in a federal university such as ours. These chairpersons and presidents were purposively selected for the study. Three research questions were raised to guide the study: What internal security measures are put in place by the unions to ensure recovery of dues and third party loans from debtors? How do the cooperative societies manage their funds and recover dues and third party loans during the IPPIS era? What relationship exists between the unions, cooperative societies and IPPIS office for dues and third party loans recovery? The findings of the study showed that there is no full proof of internal security measures put in place to recover dues and third party loans; that committees are set up in the cooperative societies to manage their funds through several management strategies; there is no clear relationship between the Unions, cooperative societies and IPPIS Office to aid in the recovery of dues and third party loans in the university. The study recommended among others that the IPPIS should be transparent enough to abide by the laws of its establishment in order not to under mind its primary functions of deduction and remittance of dues and third party loans to beneficiaries.