The Academic Staff Union of Universities of the Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State, has debunked claims that its members have been paid salaries.
In a statement signed by the Chairman and acting Secretary of the union, Dr. Cyril Onogbosele and Dr. William Odion respectively, the association said that the alleged payment of all outstanding salaries of staff in the university was not true.
It noted that selective payment is what is being done by the management of the institution.
“The university administration has adopted the practice of selective payment of monthly salaries to unleash hunger, pain and frustration on many staff and complicate the salary debacle.”
The statement made available to journalists in Benin on Tuesday read, “The reality in AAU, Ekpoma as at today Tuesday, March 7, 2023, is a wide spread restiveness, worry and sorrow as a result of a wicked continuation of selective payment of salary to some staff by the university administration.
It is false that all arrears of salaries of staff in the university have been paid. It is a mere rumour designed to deceive and confuse the general public over the persistent salary crisis in the university.
Many staff of the University, particularly, over 50 per cent of members of ASUU have been deliberately denied payment of salaries by the university administration for categories of months (January-December 2022 and January 2023), for no just reason.
“Though, February 2023 staff salary has been paid, it is still the old pattern of selective payment of salary. Many staff of the University (both academic and non- academic staff), have complained of being left out in the payment schedule.”
^It added that the selective payment of salaries of staff is deliberately designed by the administration to unduly punish some staff perceived as being their “enemies”.
“Staff cooperative societies and saving schemes have also suffered setbacks due to non-remittance of deductions to the relevant beneficiaries for 27 months, which have immensely contributed to the financial ill-health of staff in the university,” it stated.