FROM IKHILI EBALU, BENIN CITY
Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, Ambrose Alli University, AAU, Ekpoma Chapter, has condemned a statement credited to the university management that some staff with issues during the biometric verification exercise conducted in 2021 are being owed.
A statement released by the Public Relations Officer of the university, Mr MikeAladenika stated that “The allegations of unpaid salaries are driven by a few embittered staff members, some of whom had issues with the biometric verification exercise conducted in 2021.
Aladenika added that “these staff had their names removed from the payroll after failing to complete the necessary documentation or refused to participate in the exercise”.
Responding through a press statement released to journalists in Benin City yesterday and signed by Dr Cyril Onogbosele and Dr William Odion, Chairman and Assistant Secretary of ASUU, AAU, Ekpoma Chapter respectively, ASUU described the university’s statement on the issue of unpaid salaries of staff for 32 months as “a masterpiece of deception, misinformation and propaganda”.
The union insisted that many staff had not been paid salaries for up to 32 months for no justifiable reason despite their hard work and dedication.
In addition, it disclosed that there is no record of trial or misconduct against the victims to justify the ill-treatment meted out to them by the university administration.
ASUU described the biometric verification exercise touted as the reason for the non-payment of salaries as a smokescreen.
According to the union, “By distorting facts and attributing the non-payment of salaries to a politicised, compromised and inconclusive biometric verification exercise conducted in 2021, the university has demonstrated lack of accountability and transparency”.
Furthermore, it stated that, “There is no official report of the so-called staff biometric verification exercise in the university. Records of previous biometric exercises are still in the university.
“The use of biometric verification exercise as a tool for oppression and victimisation of staff, particularly union members, started during the tyrannical regime of the defunct Special Intervention Team, SIT.”
According to them, the real issue is the university’s deliberate use of selective payment of salary to witch-hunt some staff who strongly opposed its aberrational administration.
Contrary to the claim by the university, many of the staff denied payment of salaries were recently promoted in April based on the appraisal from 2017 to 2022 after much delay. Is this not an indication that they are hard working and dutiful staff?”
The union wondered for how long the university would continue to run on lies.
Additionally, it asked, “Beyond staff members who have not been paid salaries because of the so-called biometric exercise, can the university administration deny the arbitrary stoppage of the salaries of many staff for over one year, some of whom have recently been paid on the intervention by the newly constituted Governing Council?”
ASUU disclosed that the administration is yet to resolve the issue of seven months withheld salaries between February 14, 2022 and October 16, 2022; stoppage of responsibility allowances of office-holders (Deans, Sub-Deans, Directors, Heads of Departments and Examination Officers), stoppage of incremental salary benefits for the past three years in violation of the salary structure of staff; stoppage of payment of excess workload (earned academic allowance) arrears and non-issuance of payslips when salaries are paid.
