By Ighomuaye Lucky. O
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) Ambrose Alli University Ekpoma chapter, has praised the Edo State governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki for reconstituting a Governing Council for the institution just as it listed a whole lot of abnormalities that the reconstituted Governing Council has to correct.
The commendation was contained in a statement made available to journalists in Benin by Dr. Cyril Onogbosele and Dr. William Odion, the Chairman and Secretary, respectively, of ASUU, AAU, Ekpoma chapter.
Recall that the governor, in accordance with AAU Law 1999 (As Amended), announced the constitution of a seven-member Governing Council chaired by Dr. Omo-Ehijele Frank Odafen for the university.
This development, according to ASUU, marks a significant departure from the tumultuous reign of the Special Intervention Team (SIT), which perpetuated a culture of crises and impunity that undermined the university’s autonomy and academic freedom.
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), AAU, Ekpoma chapter, said it welcomed this development while acknowledging the numerous challenges that the new Governing Council will grapple with.
However, because of the numerous problems the reign of SIT in the university created, the newly constituted Governing Council will have to deal with a number of unresolved administrative lapses and staff welfare issues in the crises bedeviling the wellbeing of the university”
According to ASUU, the unresolved issues in the crises of the university include, unbridled breach of the University’s autonomy in terms of procedural self-governance, substantive independence and academic freedom; lack of funding of the university by the State Government; ad hoc administration of the University evidenced by the absence of substantive Principal Officers (Vice Chancellor, Registrar, Bursar, Liberian and Provost) in the university for the past three years; arbitrary removal/replacement of elected Deans of faculties; the problem of non-payment of salaries/allowances of many staff; non-implementation of the award of 25% and 35% increase in the salaries of academic staff in public universities in Nigeria by government; stoppage of third-party deductions (ASUU dues, staff welfare savings, etc.) and non-remittance of deducted ASUU dues (September 2020 – November 2021) by the University Administration; delayed staff appraisal and promotion exercise; the recent notional promotion of staff (promotion without financial benefits) which was stopped a long time ago during the tenure of the Governing Council chaired by Prof. Eugene Okpere; selective issuance of promotion letters to staff; undue retirement/termination of the appointments of some staff; intimidation and victimization of staff by the University Administration; fraudulent implementation of Edo Health Insurance Scheme (EDOHIS) in the university; coercion of staff by the University Administration to pay fees for access to their workplace in the university; running of some academic programmes, particularly in the College of Medicine in violation of National Universities Commission’s (NUC’s) guidelines, and undue amendment of the University’s Regulations Governing the Service of Staff by the SIT/University Administration.
Concerning the current administration of the university by Principal Officers, including the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Asomwan Sonnie Adagbonyin in acting capacity for 2 years, ASUU stated that it was a violation of public service rule and that it was time to make appointments of substantive principal officers in the university.
It reasoned that with the exit of SIT from the university, since the appointments of the Acting Vice Chancellor and other principal officers of the university are derivatives of the SIT Law which expired since November 2022, there was urgent need to correct the aberrations.
ASUU also denounced the non-payment of salaries of some staff unjustly for thirty months by the University Administration, when the staff were neither tried nor found guilty of any offence; non-resolution of the issue of withheld salaries for seven months in 2022 over ASUU national strike, when these monies have been paid in Federal Universities and many State Universities; non-payment of responsibility allowance of office-holders, and the non-issuance of pay-slips to staff when salaries are paid.
While calling for the timely inauguration of the Council and restoration of funding by the Visitor to the University/Governor of Edo State, His Excellency, Godwin Obaseki, ASUU emphasized the urgent need for a return to normalcy in the governance of the university, academic excellence and revitalization of the university’s intellectual and ethical fabric.
As the university embarks on this new chapter, ASUU implored the new Governing Council to engage in broad consultations with primary stakeholders of the university to comprehensively and wholly address the crises in the university.
Further, it urged the Council to reconcile the contradictions of the past and steer the university towards a future of justice, peace, progress and academic distinction devoid of propaganda.