The Chairman, Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma chapter, Cyril Onogbosele, has said that 25 members of the union died in the last two years while awaiting the payment of their 26 months’ outstanding salaries.
Onogbosele, who disclosed this on Thursday while speaking to journalists in Benin, also alleged that the institution was facing zero funding, staff victimisation, intimidation and imposition.
He explained that there was selective payment of salaries, outright denial of salaries up to 26 months to many staff and deliberate non-remittance of deductions from staff salaries in favour of unions and welfare/cooperative societies.
“We are distressed and in crisis. Unpaid salaries can take a toll on one’s health. It is worrisome when you don’t have money to buy drugs, and the end point is death. Our union is saying enough is enough. This inhuman situation in the university can no longer be tolerated, and it is time for a serious resistance against the unending problem of payment of salaries of staff in the university,” Onogbosele stated.
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He also listed other alleged anti-workers policies by the school management to include the fraudulent implementation of Edo Health Insurance Scheme (EDOHIS), Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) and payment of access fees to enter individual place of work in the university.
Onogbosele also alleged that the institution had been experiencing the worst form of maladministration as evident in the absence of a governing council and substantive principal officers since 2021.
He said, “Without prejudice to the various cases in the law courts, the Special Intervention Team (SIT) has become the albatross of the university, and Obaseki-led administration in the state has deliberately made it so.
“As you are already aware, AAU, Ekpoma is the only known public university in Nigeria that is being managed since May 2021 by a body called SIT in total deviation from the universally accepted norms, laws and best global practice.
“It is important to note that some members of the said SIT are by educational qualification not qualified to teach in a university, let alone administer a university.”
Efforts to get the university management’s comment proved abortive as the Vice Chancellor and others principal officers were said to be in an important meeting.
But an official in the Vice Chancellor’s office confided in our correspondent that the school authorities would respond to the issues appropriately.
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