Lucky Obukohwo, Reporting
The Benin Zone of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has expressed grave concern over the lingering crisis in Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma and condemned the deliberate non-payment of salaries to many academic staff in the University for 24 months.
The Benin Zone of ASUU comprises the University of Benin (UNIBEN), the Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma, the Delta State University (DELSU), Abraka, the Adekule Ajasin University (AAU), Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State, the Federal University of Petroleum Resources (FUPRE), Delta State, the Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology (OAUSTECH), Okitipupa, Ondo State and the University of Delta (UNIDEL), Agbor, Delta state.
In a press statement in Effurun, Delta state, the Zone through the Chairperson of the Union’s Chapter in the Federal University of Petroleum Resources (FUPRE), Delta State, Dr. Wilfred Okologume disclosed that report had it that many members of the Union in AAU, Ekpoma had not been paid salaries by the University Administration for twenty four (24) months for no offence or misconduct committed.
The Union’s concern on AAU, Ekpoma followed the recent zonal meeting of the Union held at the Delta State University (DELSU), Abraka, where reports from the seven universities in the Zone were received and discussed.
In the statement, the Benin Zone of ASUU remarked, “This is sheer wickedness and a breach of the contractual agreement between the University and the affected staff since the staff are still in the services of the University performing their statutory duties”.
The Union accused the University Administration/the Special Intervention Team (SIT) of the University of allegedly devising wicked tactics of denial of payment of salaries of staff as a means of meting out jungle punishment to some staff perceived as strong members of ASUU to cow and intimidate them to submit to the objectionable administrative style of the University.
The Union claimed that the ugly phenomenon about undue denial of salaries of staff to no avail is a major source of crisis in the University.
“Surprisingly, the University Administration has not established violation of the University law or rules and regulations by the affected staff to justify their ill-treatment”, the Union said.
The Union took a swipe on the continued illegal existence of the SIT in the University which the Union alleged has been implicated as the mastermind of the anti-labour action in the University, saying that they (SIT) manipulate information about staff to deceive the Visitor to the University/Governor of Edo State for selfish reasons.
The Benin Zone of ASUU
noted that it was inundated with complaints from its branch in AAU, Ekpoma over non-remittance of deducted ASUU dues and members’ welfare savings/loan repayments to the Branch by the University Administration for fifteen months – September 2020 to November 2021, amounting to nearly one billion naira.
“This is illegal and demoralizing for staff and the Union”, it said.
To arrest the unwholesome development about payment of salaries in AAU, Ekpoma, the Benin Zone of ASUU implored all well-meaning stakeholders of the University and the Governor of Edo State to prevail on the University Administration to pay all outstanding salaries of staff and remit all deducted ASUU dues and welfare savings/ repaid loans to the Union without further delay.