The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) at Ambrose Alli University (AAU) in Ekpoma has been facing a dire situation, with the loss of 25 members due to economic hardship stemming from the alleged non-payment of salaries for the past 26 months. This distressing reality has also affected the non-academic staff, leading to several deaths within the university community.
Cyril Oziegbe Onogbosele, the chairman of ASUU at AAU, highlighted the devastating impact of the prolonged salary crisis during a press conference in Benin City. He emphasized that the claims of the Special Intervention Team/Government stating that they do not owe any salaries to the university staff are false and merely serve to mask the severe suffering experienced by the employees.
The absence of a governing council and substantive principal officers since 2021 has exacerbated the challenges faced by the university, resulting in what Onogbosele described as the darkest period of zero funding, staff victimization, and selective payment of salaries. The deliberate withholding of salaries, promotion delays, and other anti-worker policies have created a toxic environment within the institution.
The ASUU chairman condemned the governance of the university by a Special Intervention Team, calling for the urgent establishment of a governing council in line with global standards. He also raised concerns about the negative repercussions of the economic hardship on staff productivity and student enrollment, with a significant drop in the number of prospective students applying through the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations (UTME).
Onogbosele urged the state government to address the issues promptly and reverse the detrimental policies implemented by the university management, including the alleged fraudulent schemes such as the Edo Health Insurance Scheme and Contributory Pension Scheme. The severe financial crisis facing the institution, attributed to a drastic reduction in state government subvention, has further exacerbated the situation.
Despite efforts to reach the university authorities for comment, the Vice-Chancellor and other principal officers were unavailable due to an important meeting. The ASUU chairman’s call for transparency, accountability, and adherence to global best practices in university governance remains a pressing issue that demands immediate attention to prevent further loss of lives and deterioration of the academic environment.
