The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma Chapter, has debunked report by the University authorities that they have reinstated the names of several unpaid staff members to the University’s payroll.
The University's Chapter of ASUU condemned the report, describing it as false, misleading, provocative, deceptive and wicked.
The University authorities had in the Wednesday, 6th November, 2024 edition of the University's News Bulletin, claimed among others, that "Removed staff members have been reinstated to the payroll, receiving owed salaries spanning several months.”
In a rejoinder jointly signed by Dr. Cyril Onogbosele and Dr. William Odion, the Chairman and Assistant Secretary of the University’s branch of ASUU respectively, to the publication, the Union stated that the publication was a ploy by the current University Administration led by the Acting Vice Chancellor, Prof. Samuel Sunday Olowo and Dr.Frank Omo-Ehijele Odafen-led Governing Council to conceal and sustain the victimization of several staff and the unjust denial of their monthly salaries by the administration of the former Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki and the devious regime of the illegal Special Intervention Team (SIT) in the University.
The Union maintained that “Up to this month, November 2024, many academic staff members who are our members have not been paid monthly salaries up to thirty four (34) months, even after several memoranda sent to the University Administration and the Governing Council.
"Painfully, there are no cases of misconduct against the affected staff nor are there trials for violations of the university’s rules and regulations to warrant such treatments", ASUU stated. Additionally, the Union insisted that the affected staff members perform their duties (teaching, research and community service) and carry out statutory responsibilities.
According to the Union, “It is dehumanizing, unjust and evil for the University Administration to deny innocent staff members of their salaries for almost 3 years.”
Concerning the stoppage of deduction and remittance of ASUU membership dues, the Union expressed dissatisfaction over the reluctance or unwillingness of the University Administration to restore the deduction and remittance of staff unions’ dues stopped by the University Administration in March 2022 during the administration of the former Acting Vice Chancellor, Prof. Sonnie Adagbonyin.
Furthermore, the Union disclosed that the University Administration was in default of remitting deducted dues to ASUU for fifteen (15) months (September 2020 to December 2020, and January 2021 to November 2021), with a sum of money not less than N27,000,000.00 (twenty seven million naira).
The Union responded with equivocation and angst to the claim by the University authorities in the aforementioned bulletin that there was proper constitution of the Governing Council chaired by Dr. Frank Omo-Ehijele Odafen, and that elections were held to fill vacant positions in compliance with the relevant laws. The Union described the claim as a fallacy.
Further, the Union disclosed that the University Administration and the Governing Council were yet to resolve the anomalies and breaches of the University’s laws that characterized the elections of internal members (particularly, Convocation and Senate Representatives) of Council.
According to the Union, “the present Governing Council of AAU, Ekpoma, is not duly and fully constituted”, adding that several letters had been written to the University Administration and the Council by our union over the matter.
To resolve the lingering crises in the University, the Union implored the University authorities to toe the path of truth, sincerity, justice and fairness in dealing with the unresolved issues in the crises in the University. It also called on the general public and Edo State Government to intervene in the crises rocking the University and prevail on the University authorities to refrain from actions or inactions capable of perpetuating industrial disharmony in the university.
