Ebonyi ASUU protests excess deduction of monthly subventions

The Ebonyi State of the Academic Staff Union of University (ASUU), on Wednesday, protested the increasing deduction of monthly subventions of the university by the state government.

The ASUU claimed that the deductions have resulted in massive exodus of lecturers to other institutions including the former Vice-
Chancellor.

The Chairman of the Union, Prof. Ndubuisi Idenyi made this known while
addressing journalists in Abakaliki, expressed fear that the state
univarsity may suffer quantum setback following the continued
deduction of N23million from the monthly subvention of N200 million as
complement tax returns of the university.

In his words, “ The continued upfront deduction of N23 million from the monthly
subvention of N200 million as complement tax returns of the university
in line with the provisions of the Personal Income Tax, PIT, 2011 (as
amended) should stop with effect from September 2016.

“Any action aimed at foisting the PIT Act 2011 (as amended) on the
staff of the university, without, as a first step completing the
gazetting of staff, instituting of the contributory pensions scheme,
the NHIS, the NHF and other tax- free components of the PIT act 2011
(as amended) should be roundly condemned and discouraged”.

“The staffs of Ebonyi state University have been paying our legitimate
taxes and would continue to pay as long as we remain in the employ of
the university council and as long as it is legitimate to do so. Any
other action (s) to the contrary shall not be acceptable to ASUU- EBSU
under whatever guise” he said.

Prof. Idenyi further stated the preparedness of the Union to support
and be loyal to the authorities of the University but “would be quick
to state that we can no longer guarantee industrial peace on our
campuses, as we think government is taking us for a ride” he warned.

He called on the founding fathers and all well-meaning stakeholders of
the state to prevail of the state government as a matter of urgency to
address the problems to avoid further damages that might occur as a
result of the increasing deductions.

“ASUU-EBSU should not be held responsible for whatever industrial
difficulties arising from government’s continued lackadaisical
attitude in handling these issues”.

The chairman lamented that the members of the union have suffered so
much setback and demanded that the university council should as a
matter of urgency release the professorial promotions of 2014 and
outstanding 2015 promotions of other categories of staff.