UNIBEN Denies Half Salary Claim As ASUU Shuts Down Academic Activities

The University of Benin (UNIBEN) has denied reports that its academic staff received half salaries for August 2026, even as the university’s chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) declared a total and indefinite withdrawal of services over alleged salary underpayment.

The university management, in a statement made available to newsmen in Benin City on Wednesday by its Public Relations Officer, Benedicta Ehanire, described the reports as false and misleading, insisting that the Federal Government had paid the salaries of all categories of staff up to August 2026.

According to the management, “It is not true that academic staff of the institution were paid half salary in August, 2026,” adding that the issue being mistaken for salary was the Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance (CATA).

The university explained that the CATA had been released by the Federal Government and promptly distributed to eligible staff.

It further assured workers that all legitimate entitlements would be paid as and when due, saying, “Whatever is due to staff of the University will be paid without hindrance.”

However, the UNIBEN branch of ASUU, in a statement signed by its Chairman, Dr Enaruna Edosa, and Secretary, L.O. Aimiyekagbon, said its Congress took the decision to withdraw services at its meeting on Wednesday, 9 September 2026, following alleged underpayment of members’ salaries.

The union said Congress invoked an existing National Executive Council (NEC) resolution that empowers branches to withdraw their services when salaries are not fully paid by the third day of the new month.

It also cited the resolution of the Emergency NEC meeting of 5 September, which directed affected branches to take appropriate action.

Consequently, ASUU directed its members to cease teaching, supervision, attendance at departmental and faculty boards, Senate and other statutory meetings, and all academic and administrative activities until the alleged underpaid salaries are fully paid.

The branch declared that the action would remain in force indefinitely unless Congress, in an emergency, resolved otherwise.

While management urged journalists and stakeholders to verify allegations before publication, stressing that the university had established channels for authenticating information, ASUU maintained that its decision would subsist until another Congress was convened to review the situation, declaring: “United we bargain, divided we beg! Alluta continua, victoria acerta!”