Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has called on the National Universities Commission (NUC) and the Edo State Government to urgently intervene in the lingering industrial crisis at the Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, in order to reposition the institution for better learning and development.
The ASUU, Benin Zone made the call yesterday in Benin at a news conference, which the union’s coordinator, Prof Fred Esumeh said, became expedient due to the marketing of lies, propaganda, mischief and blackmail against the branch of the union in the institution.
Esumeh, who was joined by the chairmen of branches under the zone, said the union frowned at the poor funding and mismanagement of the university’s resources and the management’s inability to meet its obligation of payment of staff emoluments, hence a resort to irregular and selective payment of salaries.
According to him, the recent reduction in the monthly subvention of the university to an abysmally low N41.3 million from N270 million has led to the workers being owed 20-month salary arrears from 2020 to date, with 15 months of unremitted sundry deductions to staff unions.
“The state government must of a necessity intervene at this point to clear the arrears of emoluments of workers of the university.
“For what it is, the problem is a catalyst for industrial crisis and therefore a threat to the smooth running of the academic calendar and the general administration of the university”, he said.
The ASUU leader also described the current management model in the institution as bizarre and far from the ideal style of university administration in the country.
The institution, he noted was being run on ad-hoc basis with an amendment to its law, which set up Special Intervention Team (SIP) as against Governing Council required by the NUC.
Esumeh averred that the management might be de-marketing the quality and value of certificate of degree programmes in the school by forcing the resumption of academic activities in the school and illegal conduct of examinations.
Other issues, the ASUU coordinator said needed the stakeholders’ immediate attention included the suppression of staff right and freedom of association, controversial and inconclusive biometrics among others.
To achieve industrial peace at the university, the union leader said the management and the Edo government would have to return to the path of truth, dialogue and sincere commitment to the resolution of the crisis.
Esumeh also called for the restoration of governing council to pave way for immediate appointment of substantive principal officers.
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