ASUU criticizes STI reports on AAU says it's fraudulently divisive, criminally misleading

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has criticized STI reports on Ambrose Alli University (AAU) says it's fraudulently divisive, criminally misleading, Myschoolnews report.

Being Text of Press Conference in Benin City, Edo State on 30th August, 2023 by ASUU, AAU, Ekpoma on SIT’s Interim and Progress Reports on AAU, Ekpoma and the Crisis in the University)

1.0 Preamble

Gentlemen of the Press, it has become imperative for ASUU, AAU, Ekpoma to respond to the recent embarrassing, misleading and damaging reports on AAU, Ekpoma by the Special Intervention Team (SIT) of the University. The reports which were tagged “interim and progress reports” presented to the Visitor to the University/Governor of Edo State, His Excellency, Mr. Godwin Obaseki in May 2023 and August 2023 respectively, were blended by the SIT to beguile the Visitor and the general public about the crisis responsible for the ill-being of the University. Since the Governor of Edo State gave ninety (90) days ultimatum (with effect from 16th March, 2023) for the dissolution of SIT and its replacement with a governing council when an elaborate stakeholders’ meeting on the crisis in the University was held, SIT has been incensed to frustrate and nullify the decision by the Governor to dissolve the Team. This is primarily responsible for the gale of false information in the reports on the University and its staff being propagated by SIT.

2.0 The Primary Issues in SIT’S Reports and the Crisis in the University

(i) Allegation of academic fraud in the University

In presenting SIT’s progress report to the Governor of Edo State, Mr. Austin Osakue claimed that SIT had uncovered academic fraud in the University. Further, he alleged that over thirty (30) students schooling overseas (abroad) had graduated from AAU, Ekpoma due to the marking of their examination answer scripts by lecturers of the University. ASUU considers this allegation of academic fraud as an illusion and demands publication of the names, courses, departments, years of graduation of the students in question as well as details of the lecturers involved in the alleged academic fraud. Does graduation of students in a university start and end with “marking of scripts”? Among other requirements, for a student to graduate in the University, first, the student must be admitted, registered, take lectures, pass examination of courses and get approval of results/recommendation for graduation from Department Board of Studies, Faculty Board of Studies and the Senate of the University. Why then is the graduation of the students in the alleged academic fraud restricted to “marking of scripts by lecturers”? Undoubtedly, it is a ploy to give dog a bad name so as to hang it.

For self-serving reasons, a particular member of the SIT who is the de facto chairman of the Team is preoccupied with, and committed to blackmailing the academic staff of the University and demarketing the University in order to consign the image of the University to the hall of shame. This has serious implications for the academic integrity and credibility of the University in local, national and global competitiveness, and is unacceptable to ASUU and stakeholders of goodwill for the University. Consequently, we insist on thorough, transparent and just investigation of the claim of academic fraud in the University widely believed to be in the realm of propaganda and blackmail. We urge the Visitor to the University/Governor of Edo State to direct full investigation into the allegation of academic fraud which is an ‘indictment’ of all relevant organs and authorities of the University and not just the lecturers.

(ii) Allegation of tax invasion by staff

In the interim report earlier submitted to the Visitor by SIT represented by the same Mr. Austin Osakue, SIT falsely claimed that members of staff of the University were tax invaders and that the University owed Edo State Government over N2 billion of unremitted tax. If the claim is true one would have thought that the names of staff defaulting in payment of tax would have been published and the offenders prosecuted and punished. This false information on payment of tax in the University is an attestation of the degree of desperation by SIT, particularly Mr. Austin Osakue to remain in the University to continue to direct arbitrary administration of the University and pocket sitting allowances from the meagre financial resources of the University.

(iii) Certificate and academic transcripts racketeering

It was also alleged by SIT in their interim report that certificates and academic transcripts racketeering was a big business in the University. In dealing with this matter, our Union has observed selective justice in the trial and punishment meted out to some staff. It seems there are sacred cows and “no go areas’ in the handling of disciplinary cases on the matter.

Double standard is being employed in the handling of some allegations of misconduct/gross misconduct by staff. For example, the Union’s petitions to the University Administration over allegations of misconduct by some staff in the Departments of Physiology and Accounting were ignored by the University authorities because the affected staff are praise-singers of SIT. Further, it is disheartening that some staff that should be investigated for allegations of misconduct have been appointed by the University Administration as members of investigative committees/panels on disciplinary matters of fellow staff. The Union is watching and will expose disciplinary cases lacking transparency and justice in due course.

(iv) Deductions for Edo Health Insurance Scheme (EDOHIS)

The impression given by SIT that there is smooth operation of Edo Health Insurance Scheme (EDOHIS) in AAU, Ekpoma is wrong and misleading. The implementation of EDOHIS in the University is in breach of National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) Act 2022. With effect from May 2023, the University Administration commenced EDOHIS deductions from staff salaries without the consent and approval of the deductions by the affected staff in addition to non-registration of staff with EDOHIS authority. Further, some staff who earlier registered for health insurance with their spouses also had their salaries deducted for EDOHIS. Currently, the staff in the University affected by EDOHIS deductions have no knowledge of the Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) and access to Health Care Providers (HCPs) as required by the health insurance act. In summary, there is fraudulent implementation of EDOHIS in the University.

(v) Non-payment of salaries of some staff and pay-cut/denial of retirement to some staff

For no just cause, many staff (both academic and non-academic) have been denied payment of salaries for twenty (20) months and other categories of months by the SIT/University Administration. The affected staff were not tried for any misconduct/violations of the University’s law or found guilty of any misconduct/gross misconduct to warrant the punishment being meted out to them. This has demoralized and unleashed untold hardship on the affected staff who are victims of impunity by the SIT/University Administration. This denial of workers’ right to their monthly salaries worked for violates the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and labour laws. In addition, the staff who are being paid monthly salaries have also reported cases of pay-cut and denial of payment of responsibility allowances (for office holders). In addition, SIT has abolished annual increments in staff salaries that take effect from October every year. This is contrary to what is obtainable in other universities in Nigeria.

We are also aware that some academic staff (members of the Union) who retired at the statutory age of seventy (70) years have been refused disengagement from the University as the University Administration deliberately refused to respond to their letters of notification of retirement. Worse still, some of the victims of denial of retirement are being owed several months of salary by the University Administration. This is anti-labour! We urge the Governor of Edo State to call the SIT/University Administration to order in this matter.

(vi) Non-remittance of deducted ASUU check-off dues/welfare savings of academic staff by the University authorities

To financially strangulate ASUU and academic staff, the SIT and University Administration have refused to remit deductions for members’ dues to ASUU as well as those pertaining to members’ savings/loan repayments for the Union’s Welfare Committee from September 2020 – November 2021. The deductions amount to millions of naira. To further emasculate the Union and its members, the SIT/University Administration stopped deductions of members’ dues for the Union and savings for the Welfare Scheme from March 2022 to date. There is no gainsaying the fact that this action by the SIT/University Administration is hostile to the Union’s interest and the wellbeing of its members.

(vii) Payment for access to place of work

It will interest the general public to know that in AAU, Ekpoma, workers pay toll to access their workplace. In a bid to generate revenue internally, the SIT/University Administration forcefully deducted “access fee” from staff salaries. All attempts to get this reversed have proved abortive. To our knowledge, AAU, Ekpoma is the only institution in Edo State where workers pay fees to have access to their offices.

(viii) Erosion of University autonomy/usurpation of the power of Senate and other organs/authorities of the University

Currently, the posture of SIT in the University is that of a sole administrator or a dictator. Administration of the University has been surrendered to the whims and caprices of SIT. Some academic matters such as examination of courses which are functions of University Senate are being directed by SIT. Principal Officers of the University have become nominal officers with SIT. Sadly, this is not the right way to administer a university in the 21st Century! There is constant breach of University autonomy where matters that should be handled within the University system are politically externalized to the detriment of stability of the University. This is what plays out in the name of university reports being managed by government officials outside the University system.

(ix) Poor funding of the University

Inadequate funding of the University is the main cause of the crisis being experienced by the University. Since inception, SIT has not been able to achieve the mandate given to it by the state government to source for funds for the University. Rather, its activities, including unnecessary frequent meetings to collect allowances have taken a toll on the financial resources of the University. The reports given by SIT to the Visitor to the University and the general public are diversionary. In the reports presented to the Visitor, why are details of expenditure incurred by SIT versus the revenue (outside school fees) generated on a monthly basis not included? Rather, the reports are designed to cover the inability of SIT to truly reposition the University and to perpetuate their stay in the University against the resolve of well-meaning stakeholders of the University. It is clear that SIT embarked on a wrong journey in AAU, Ekpoma. No matter how far one has gone on a wrong journey, one should retrace one’s steps.

Conclusion/Recommendations

(a) The interim and progress reports by SIT to the Visitor to AAU, Ekpoma and the general public full of misinformation and propaganda should be investigated to determine the true state of the crisis in the University.

(b) Edo State Government as a matter of urgency should implement the decisions reached at the stakeholders’ meeting on the crisis in the University held on 16th March, 2023 in order to genuinely resolve the crisis rocking the University.

(c) Without delay, the problem of selective payment of salaries of staff in the University should be resolved with payment of all outstanding salaries to staff of the University.

(d) The Union believes that repositioning of a university does not translate to infringement of workers’ rights, denial of wages and lack of improved welfare of workers.

(e) The annual increments of staff salaries stopped by the University Administration should be restored.

(f) We implore the Visitor to the University, as a matter of urgency, to constitute a governing council for the University to enable the University function properly.

Signed:

Dr. Cyril Oziegbe Onogbosele, Dr. William Odion

Chairperson, ASUU, AAU, Ekpoma Assistant Secretary, ASUU, AAU, Ekpoma

For and on behalf of ASUU, AAU, Ekpoma