The Academic Staff Union of Universities at the Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, has faulted the claim by the Edo State Government that the university’s governing council had been constituted.
It also described the alleged allocation of N300m monthly subvention to the university by government as false.
The local chapter of the union had, in a letter addressed to Governor Godwin Obaseki, given the state government a four-week ultimatum to reconstitute the board and improve funding for the institution.
It had also threatened to embark on an industrial action if the demands were not met.
The Commissioner for Education, Mr. Emmanuel Agbale, had in a reaction, said that while the board had been constituted and was awaiting a formal announcement, over N300m accrued to the university monthly as subvention.
But the union, in a statement by its Chairman, Mr. Monday Igbafen, said that the commissioner’s position did not represent the “true situation of things in the unfolding struggle to reposition AAU.”
He argued that a governing council could only be said to have been constituted if its composition and membership were publicly announced and inaugurated by the governor.
“This has not been done as of (the time) of the declaration of the trade dispute by the union. It is far from the truth to say that a letter has been transmitted to our union on the constitution of governing council for the university, given that as of the time of issuing this press statement, there is no letter in our custody to that effect,” the statement read in part.
It added, “The Edo State Government has not, as of today, invited the union for any discussion whatsoever over the poor funding of AAU, Ekpoma. It, therefore, amounts to misrepresenting the fact if the information is put in the public domain that the union is already being engaged over the funding of the university.
“It is also not a reality that well over N300m is sent every month to the university as government monthly subvention. The union stands by its earlier claim, which put the state’s monthly subvention to the university at N234m, out of which more than N42m is deducted at source on a monthly basis by the government as tax.
“By this press statement, the union urges the general public to be well-guided by this release, as we struggle to protect the continued survival of the university.”
It also described the alleged allocation of N300m monthly subvention to the university by government as false.
The local chapter of the union had, in a letter addressed to Governor Godwin Obaseki, given the state government a four-week ultimatum to reconstitute the board and improve funding for the institution.
It had also threatened to embark on an industrial action if the demands were not met.
The Commissioner for Education, Mr. Emmanuel Agbale, had in a reaction, said that while the board had been constituted and was awaiting a formal announcement, over N300m accrued to the university monthly as subvention.
But the union, in a statement by its Chairman, Mr. Monday Igbafen, said that the commissioner’s position did not represent the “true situation of things in the unfolding struggle to reposition AAU.”
He argued that a governing council could only be said to have been constituted if its composition and membership were publicly announced and inaugurated by the governor.
“This has not been done as of (the time) of the declaration of the trade dispute by the union. It is far from the truth to say that a letter has been transmitted to our union on the constitution of governing council for the university, given that as of the time of issuing this press statement, there is no letter in our custody to that effect,” the statement read in part.
It added, “The Edo State Government has not, as of today, invited the union for any discussion whatsoever over the poor funding of AAU, Ekpoma. It, therefore, amounts to misrepresenting the fact if the information is put in the public domain that the union is already being engaged over the funding of the university.
“It is also not a reality that well over N300m is sent every month to the university as government monthly subvention. The union stands by its earlier claim, which put the state’s monthly subvention to the university at N234m, out of which more than N42m is deducted at source on a monthly basis by the government as tax.
“By this press statement, the union urges the general public to be well-guided by this release, as we struggle to protect the continued survival of the university.”
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