The Ambrose Alli University chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has threatened to embark on an indefinite strike action over non-appointment of a Governing Council and under-funding of the institution.

It said the absence of a Governing Council made the university to be run on an abnormal basis.

Chairman of AAU-ASUU, Prof. Monday Igbafen, who spoke while addressing journalists on the union’s resolve to ground academic activities said manifestations of underdevelopment of the university, would not be allowed to continue.

Prof. Igbafen said the union has written several letters to Governor Godwin Obaseki on the need to constitute a Governing Council.

Igbafen noted that issues of policy direction, sensitive financial and administrative approvals that required the final attention of the Governing Council are kept on hold or circumvented since August 2017.

He said the development has led to absence of oversight functions on the university administration on possible arbitrariness and infraction on due process.

Prof. Igbafen stated that the university workers have not earned full salaries for four months running due to inadequate funding.

The AAU-ASUU chairman accused the university management of using deductions of staff welfare associations to augment payment of salaries.

He said there was total absence of state’s fund for capital projects.

According to him, “Our union has made strenuous efforts through reports and letters to draw the attention of the Visitor to the University to the sorry state of the university against the backdrop of a debilitating crisis of funding.

“All the efforts amounted to naught and no modicum of concrete mitigation of the problem of funding is in sight.

“We know the problems here are far too antithetical to the smooth functioning of an ideal university.”

Spokesman for the university, Mr. Edward Aihevba, said talks were on with ASUU leaders to make sure they do not embark on the strike action.

Aihevba said the state government has promised to inaugurate a Governing Council.

He said the state government has been consistent in paying its counterpart funding of N250, 000 but that there was still a wide margin for the university to meet its salaries obligations.


source
http://thenationonlineng.net/aau-ASUU-threatens-strike-action/

Thompson Jotham 4 SUG