23rd June, 2024
By Jethro Ibileke
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) University of Benin (UNIBEN) Branch on Sunday withdrew its services from the postgraduate programme of the University to press home its demand for payment of outstanding entitlements for postgraduate teaching and postgraduate supervision.
It was gathered that the service withdrawal was not unconnected with indebtedness on the part of the University management throughout the tenure of the current University Administration, which winds up in December 2024.
The ASUU (UNIBEN) Branch had earlier at a Congress on Friday, 14 June 2024, resolved that all members of ASUU in UNIBEN withdraw their involvement/participation in the postgraduate programme of the University of Benin with immediate effect.
The UNIBEN ASUU Congress had met on Friday, 14 June 2024, and resolved that all its members withdraw their involvement/participation in the postgraduate programme of the University of Benin with immediate effect.
“Arising from the above, all members of ASUU UNIBEN have been directed to immediately cease to engage/participate/be involved in postgraduate teaching, postgraduate supervision, postgraduate seminars, postgraduate examinations, and postgraduate board meetings until all the already earned honoraria for postgraduate teaching, postgraduate supervision and postgraduate internal examination owed within the tenure of the current University Administration are fully paid.
“A clearly defined structure for the administration and remuneration of academic staff in the postgraduate programme is negotiated and agreed between the Administration of the University of Benin and ASUU UNIBEN.”
The lecturers vowed to sustain the strike action on all postgraduate programs of the University to press home their demand for payment of all outstanding entitlements.
A anonymous source who said that they have the backing of the national leadership of the Union, further disclosed that the demands cover all postgraduate teaching and supervision done throughout the tenure of the current Vice-Chancellor, Prof Lilian Salami.
He said the decision is to forestall another incidence of the interruption of the postgraduate program that may arise from the accumulation of unpaid entitlements to members in the near or distant future.
According to him, “If we do not stand up for ourselves, especially in this very harsh and excruciating socio-economic climate, no one will. The laborer is worthy of his wages.”
The Public Relations Officer of UNIBEN, Dr. Benedicta Ehanire, could not be reached as calls made to her cell phone failed to connect.
But, a source close to the University’s Vice-Chancellor said efforts were on to resolve all outstanding entitlements of the ASUU members involved in the post program of the institution.