Posted by From Omon-Julius Onabu in Benin City on
Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Benin chapter, yesterday described the present working conditions in the university as akin to those of a slave camp.
Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Benin chapter, yesterday described the present working conditions in the university as akin to those of a slave camp.
ASUU Chairman, Dr. Austin Stephen Moye, stated this while addressing newsmen in Benin City on what it termed 'the deliberate and desperate efforts being made by the university council and administration to breed crises on the campus."
He highlighted areas of disagreement and grouse as including the notional promotion and denial of affected staff's financial benefits, the withholding of staff salaries over the 2003 strike action, cut in salary through a reduction of the excess workload allowance, denial of leave and exploitation of contract staff.
He said it was paradoxical and amounting to betrayal the decisions and actions of the university Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Emmanuel Nwanze, who he noted has hitherto fought the cause of the lecturers before assuming his new position.
Moye lamented the death of several lectures in the university in recent time, blaming the deaths on stressful conditions of work.
He said the university has the most stringent condition for promotion of staff in the country, but added that with the increase in the university allocation since June from N145 million to N184 million, and the sizeable internally generated revenue, the administration has no excuse not to improve staff welfre.