FROM IKHILI EBALU, BENIN CITY
Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, Ambrose Alli University, AAU, Ekpoma, Edo State, has described as false and misleading, a statement attributed to the Vice Chancellor of the university, Professor Sunday Samuel that the university has cleared salary backlogs with a monthly subvention of N500 million.
It would be recalled that on Thurday, August 2021, the vice chancellor and members of the management team of the university during an interface with journalists and media executives on the state of affairs of AAU, Ekpoma, stated among other things, that the university is enjoying peace, stability, regular payment of salaries and had paid all outstanding salaries of staff it inherited from previous administrations.
However, a statement signed by its Chairman, Dr Cyril Onogbosele and Secretary, Dr William Odion, described as insensitive, untrue and misleading, the disclosure by the university administration that it had cleared all backlogs of salaries of staff.
Additionally, Onogbosele and Odion stated that the union had written several letters and held meetings with the university administration over non-payment of outstanding salaries of many staff for a long time without resolving the matter.
They stated that the university is in default of the payment of outstanding salaries of some staff up to 29 months and above, 13th month salary, staff promotion arrears, N70,000 and 25-35 percent wage increase arrears, responsibility allowance (for office holders) and deducted third-party monies (ASUU dues and staff welfare savings) for 15th months (September 2020 – November 2021) – all amounting to billions of naira.
The union implored the university administration to toe the path of truth in dealing with the challenges confronting the university, avoid misinformation of the public and urgently resolve the problem of non-payment of all outstanding salaries of staff that has demoralised them.
While appealing to the governor Visitor to the university, Senator Monday Okpebholo to assist the university to deal with its problem of non-payment of outstanding salaries of staff arising from the poor administration of the university by the defunct Special Intervention Team, SIT, during the tenure of former Governor Godwin Obaseki, the union thankfully acknowledged the interventions by the current administration to reposition the university.
