Obaseki Weilds Vengeful Axe Against AAU Lecturers

By Ernest Omoarelojie/Ekpoma

March 14, 2023

Edo state governor, Godwin Obaseki, is weilding what appears to be vengeful axe against lecturers for allegedly protesting the state government's refusal to pay staff salaries, unions check-on dues and among others, deductions from workers' emoluments.

The development, according to sources, is turning volatile as two of the 22 lecturers penciled down for the boot have been issued and handed their disengagement letters. Both copies were seen by this reporter. 

"In repositioning the University, the management of Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, writes to convey to you, the decision of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of your retirement from the services of the University with effect from March 10, 2023." the letter signed by Ambrose Odiase, Acting Registrar and issued to one of the lecturers, a Professor, read in part. 

Sources within the university told this medium that the case with the senior lecturer, Prof (Mrs) Eunice Omonzejie, of the Department of Modern Languages, is peculiar. According to the sources, the Professor is being prematurely retired for allegedly leading the protest against the school administration over non-payment of staff salaries and non release of emoluments and other entitlements for several months, a move frowned at by the Governor.

Her retirement is coming even when she still has a number of years left in service. She is number 5 on the 22-lecturer shortlist. 

The case with Dr Omokugbo Obasanmi, Lecturer II of the Department of Economics is another one. Standing at number 18 on the shortlist, Obasanmi's appointment, the letter transmitted to him by the University says, has been terminated. The letter, written on March 9, 2023, and signed by the Ag Registrar, ordered him to surrender all University materials in his possession with immediate effect. 

"...writes to convey to you the decision of the Special Investigative Team (SIT) of your disengagement from the services of the University with effects from March 10, 2023," his appointment termination letter reads in part. 

Meanwhile, Governor Obaseki has disclaimed all disengagement letters issued by the university. In a statement released by his Special Adviser on Media Projects, Crusoe Osagie, all such letters issued in the last couple of weeks are illegal, null and void. 

According to the release, the Governor's commitment to workers’ welfare in the university remains sacrosanct, emphasizing that he has not sanctioned the said sack. He also ordered an investigation of the issue, promising that swift action will be taken against anyone found culpable.

Despite the denial however, the situation on ground suggests that indeed the government is being economical with the truth as those affected by the prevailing uncertainty in the university insist he cannot to be taken seriously.

The disclaimer, they insist, is only meant to douse the reaction that may follow the development particularly now that he is desperately soliciting for votes for his party in the March 18 state House of Assembly election. 

A source who volunteered a statement on the condition of anonymity insists that the Governor's swift disclaimer is indeed calculated to win some votes from the academic community. The source cited his false claim that all outstanding salaries have been paid as one example. The claim, he said, is too far from the true situation in the university as the medium can confirm that a number of both academic and non academic staff are yet to receive their pay cheques running into months.

Believe this Governor, you will believe anything," the source said. 

"He did the same thing with his claims about salary payment, which is a blatant lie. He is doing the same thing now because of the pending election where he hopes to earn some sympathy votes here. Nothing else," the source maintains. 

In an earlier statement, the state government stated that it has paid all outstanding salaries of staff of the university as at March 7, 2023. According to the statement, over 500 members of staff of the university have been paid their outstanding salaries. 

But in a swift reaction, the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, disclosed that the statement by the governor is a lie, one that is too far from the reality on ground.

The union affirmed the position about the falsehood of the claims by the same in a release made available to newsmen and signed by its Chairman, Dr. Cyril Onogbosele and Dr. William Odion, Ag Secretary respectively. It described the position of the state government as “very far from the truth”.

According to the union, many staff of the University, mostly union members, numbering over fifty per cent, have been deliberately denied their salaries by the University Administration on the orders of the governor. The group added further that the salary default ranges from between 8 to 14 months. At best, the union insists, the university deliberately selected particular months to pay for, sometimes staggering them as it deemed fit, without following any known order. For instance, while the February 2023 staff salary has been paid following the old pattern of selective payment, many staff of the University, including both academic and non-academic staff, have been left out of the payment schedule.

“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 Union said.

The reason, according to the union, is that the selective payment of salaries of staff is deliberaty designed engineered by the University Administration on the orders of the state government to unduly punish some staff perceived as their “enemies” particularly as non of those schemed out has been convicted of any misconduct or violation of the University’s known rules and regulations.