In a move that has disrupted the academic activities at the University of Benin (UNIBEN), the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has withdrawn its services from the institution's postgraduate programmes, according to reports from DAILY POST.
The decision comes barely 24 hours after students of the Ugbowo campus protested the lack of electricity and water shortage on the campus.
ASUU's move is in response to the university's alleged failure to pay entitlements amounting to N109 million for postgraduate teaching and supervision.
ASUU UNIBEN's Chairman, Ray N. Chikogu, and Secretary, Success O. Abusomwan, released a statement detailing the union's grievances.
They explained that the N109 million represents 20% of the tuition fees generated from the postgraduate programmes in the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 academic sessions, which were meant to cover administrative expenses and honoraria for teaching and supervision.
According to the statement, the university administration has only released N50 million out of the total debt owed to the lecturers.
This, the union said, is unacceptable and has prompted the decision to withdraw their involvement in the postgraduate programme.
"The Union wishes to restate its displeasure that while the University Administration paid debts in billions owed by previous administrations to contractors, it flatly decided not to do the same for debts owed colleagues by previous administrations for postgraduate teaching and supervision," the statement read.
The union further noted that the withdrawal of their services is with the approval of the ASUU National Executive Council (NEC) and will remain in force until all outstanding honoraria are fully paid, and a clear structure for the administration and remuneration of the postgraduate programme is negotiated and agreed upon between the university and the union.
ASUU UNIBEN commended its members for their resolve and steadfastness in standing up for their rights, expressing optimism that the ongoing impasse will be resolved amicably.