The Academic Staff Union of Universities has called on the National Universities Commission and the Edo Government to 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 on Monday in Benin at a news conference, addressed by the union’s Coordinator, Prof. Fred Esumeh.
Esumeh said the union frowned at the poor funding and mismanagement of the university’s resources with the management’s inability to meet its obligation of payment of staff emoluments, which has led to irregular and selective payment of salaries.
He said, “We are calling on the NUC and the Edo State Government to intervene in the lingering industrial crisis at the AAU, Ekpoma, in order to reposition the institution for better learning and development.
“The recent reduction in the monthly subvention of the university to an abysmally low N41.3m from N270m 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.
“This has put the total amount the university owed the union members and associations at N4 trillion. The state government must 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 idea administrative style of university administration in the country.’’
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