Ambrose Alli varsity lecturers, authorities, state govt differ on salary payment
By Titus Akhigbe
Lecturers in Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma, Edo State have condemned the selective payment of staff salaries in the institution since the inception of the university’s Special Intervention Team (SIT).
The University is owned by the Edo State Government.
The University’s chapter of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU),which disclosed this, described as unprecedented in the annals of the University a situation where lecturers are being owed a minimum of 17 months’ arrears “for no just cause.”
Warning that “enough is enough”, the union expressed sadness that the SIT has taken the University to the “Stone Age”.
It alleged that the current situation is characterized by impunity, non-adherence to the rule of law and display of lack of knowledge and experience in University governance and administration.
Rising from its Congress meeting recently, ASUU denounced the deliberate denial of salaries to some staff, insisting that such attitude as “heartless, callous and inconceivable cruelty against humanity.”
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In the terse statement signed by Dr. Cyril Oziegbe Onogbosele and Dr. William Odion, Chairperson and Assistant Secretary of the university’s ASUU, respectively, the Union wondered why SIT is “enjoying the suffering, victimisation, repression and oppression of some staff through the denial of their legitimate salaries, all in the name of re-positioning of the university’,while questioning if there is anywhere in the world that workers are denied salaries for no just cause.
The Union expressed disgust that the University administration has allegedly not shown concern about the career progression of staff, saying such was allegedly demonstrated in the lack of interest in the appraisal and promotion of staff in the University since SIT was inaugurated.
The Congress also expressed disenchantment over pay cut which, according to it, has become the hallmark of salary payment to some staff in the University.
The Union maintained that SIT’s regime of pay cut has crumbled the national statutory salary structure of staff in the University.
Congress implored the Visitor to the University/Governor of Edo State to urgently prevail on the University authorities to resolve the salary crisis in the University without further delay.
When contacted on phone for comments, spokesperson of AAU, Lawrence Isiraojie, denied the claims by ASUU.
Isiraojie said no one is being owed salary in the University.
His words:”No one is owed any salary. All the staff have received April salary and we are expecting that of May as we speak. Whoever is claiming otherwise should go and check why he or she is not paid.”
Also contacted, spokesman of the Edo State Government,Crusoe Osagie, stated that the state government is not owing any staff and has been funding its personnel costs without fail.
