• It’s A Rumour, Says VC
Peeved by the attempt by the university authorities to cut their staff salaries, striking lecturers at the state-owned Ambrose Alli University, (AAU), Ekpoma, Edo State Tuesday embarked on a peaceful protest to kick against the move.
The angry lecturers marched to the Office of the Acting Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Asowman Sonnie Adagbonyin to kick against the move after a congress of the local chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), which was held at the main campus of the institution.
According to a joint statement by the Chairman Dr Cyril Onogbosele and the assistant secretary, Dr William Odion, they accused the authorities of ordering the Special Intervention Team (SIT) of the institution to implement a proposed cut in the salaries of staff.
Onogbosele and Odion alleged that the planned pay cut was a strategy to reduce the overall wage bill of the university which has lately been grappling with the regular payment of monthly emoluments of staff.
According to the chairman and the secretary, since the SIT is unable to meet the mandate of assisting the state government to generate funds for the university outside the source(s) of government, the intervention team came to the conclusion that a downward review of the wage bill of staff salaries will pacify the government so that it will renew the members’ appointment which falls due on 4th June 2022.
They resolved to resist the implementation of the pay cut proposal, vowing that if it is implemented, they will continue with the local strike after the suspension of the nationwide strike.
University lecturers in the country have been on strike since last February 14 over the deteriorating state of the nation’s ivory towers and the condition of service of teachers.
The statement added: “The resolution of Congress was hinged on the fact that the basic salary and allowances in the emoluments of staff were products of collective bargaining between the labour unions and government/the university administration and therefore, cannot be altered unilaterally by any of the parties to the agreement.
Addressing the lecturers, the Acting Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Asowman Sonnie Adagbonyin insisted that the plan is a rumour while suing for peace.
Adagbonyin who denied knowledge of the proposal for a cut in staff salaries emphasized that the said pay cut will not be implemented.
