The
Academic Staff Union of Universities, (ASUU), Benin zone, has threatened that
its planned strike action over shortfall in university allocation would be the
worst ever in the history of Nigeria as a nation.
It
accused the Federal Government of stoking the embers of crisis when the
university system was yet to fully recover from the damaging effects of a
prolonged strike action in 2013.
The
Benin Zone of ASUU said it was an unfortunate and sad development that the
federal government was contributing to the threat to peace in the Nigerian
university system by not sending enough money to pay salaries.
Zonal
Co-ordinator, ASUU, Benin Zone, Prof. Anthony Monye-Emina in a statement made
available to new men in Benin City, said the use of co-operative, welfare
savings and union dues to make up for the shortfalls and the ridiculous
handouts in whatever guise in place of salary was unacceptable.
Prof.
Money-Emina said the Union should not be held liable in the event of any crisis
in the Nigerian University system.
He noted
that most universities were under the burden of severe financial crisis and
that the government was yet to proffer an explanation on when it would end.
According
to the statement, "In universities where full salary is seemingly
paid, deductions for co-operative
societies, welfare associations, union dues and so on, come in arrears. This
implies that such deductions are accumulated to be able to make full payment of
salary in subsequent months after which remittance is made."
"
In essence, university staff savings is what is used to augment the shortfall.
It is important to note that this accumulation of deductions/remittances is
exclusive of tax deductions. This implies that tax deductions are remitted as
at when due to the same government that does not feel obliged to avail the
universities the full complement of their allocations. This development is in
addition to shortfall in running, operational, logistics and other costs."
Emina said.
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