Academic activities at the University of Benin (UNIBEN) have been overshadowed by anxiety over the payment of half of August salary to members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) while their non-academic counterparts reportedly received their full salaries.
The development, which caught many lecturers unawares, has caused tension within the institution, with the affected academic staff expressing concern over the financial hardship occasioned by the partial payment.
Sources in the university said the half salary was paid without the usual allowances, leaving many lecturers, particularly those servicing loans obtained through the university, with little or nothing to take home.
The situation is said to have compounded the financial burden on many lecturers as schools prepare to resume later this month, raising concerns over their ability to meet family and educational obligations.
It was further gathered that although the federal government recently released funds to cover five months’ arrears as part of its agreement with ASUU, the implementation of the payment arrangement has reportedly been shifted to individual universities without the corresponding release of adequate funds.
In a notice to members, ASUU UNIBEN branch said it had met with the university administration over the issue and urged its members not to panic.
The notice, signed by the branch secretary, Dr. L. O. Aimiyekagbon, stated, “The branch has met with the university administration over the payment of August salary, and we have been assured by the management that more alerts will come soon.
“There should therefore be no cause for alarm. We all should remain calm,” he said.
Also speaking on the development, Chairman of ASUU UNIBEN, Dr. Enaruna Edosa, described the half salary payment as unexpected but expressed optimism that the outstanding balance would be paid.
He said the university management, three days after the salary payment, also paid professorial allowances to eligible academic staff.
“I believe the Vice-Chancellor will pay the outstanding half salary,” he said.
Sources familiar with the matter, however, disclosed that the university paid the August salaries from its Internally Generated Revenue, IGR, following the Federal Government’s failure to release its monthly subvention to the institution.
As of the time of filing this report, the university management had yet to issue an official statement on the circumstances surrounding the delayed funding from the Federal Government.
