ASUU Abia State Protests Unpaid Salaries and Unmet Agreements

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Lecturers and members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) at Abia State University staged a protest on Friday over 11 months of unpaid salaries by the state government and the non-implementation of several agreements with federal and state authorities.

Dr. Chidi Mba, the President of ASUU, Abia State chapter, emphasized the necessity of the protest to highlight their grievances after months of neglect by relevant authorities. The protesters marched through Uturu community, engaging with traditional rulers, market women, and students to raise awareness about their plight.

Speaking to SaharaReporters, Dr. Mba criticized Governor Alex Otti’s administration for failing to fulfill agreements dating back to the 2009 pact with the Federal Government and ASUU on salaries and allowances. He highlighted the issue of unpaid salaries spanning April to June 2024, with discrepancies in payments received by different lecturers.

“Our wage bill today is over N360 million naira, yet we receive only about N100 million from the government. This disparity is unjustifiable when compared to other universities like Ebonyi State University, which receives adequate funding closer to their wage bill,” Dr. Mba asserted.

The protest saw hundreds of lecturers carrying placards with messages such as “Agreement is Agreement, Honour Agreement,” “Pay Us Our Third-Party Deductions,” and “TSA Rejected.” They voiced their discontent over the Treasury Single Account (TSA) policy, arguing it impedes their financial operations.

Reports gathered indicated that the 11-month salary arrears accrued during a prolonged ASUU strike that affected all government-owned institutions. Dr. Mba condemned the proposal by the governor to pay only 60% of owed salaries, insisting on full payment within two weeks to avoid escalating their protests.

“If our demands are not met within two weeks, we will escalate our actions,” Dr. Mba warned, underscoring the resolve of ASUU Abia State to continue advocating for fair treatment and adherence to agreements made by the state and federal governments.