Academic Staff Union of Universities(ASUU), Ekiti State University (EKSU) chapter, has drawn battle lines with the state government and the school management over unpaid salaries and allowances.
The academic body said it would no longer tolerate or cooperate with the university authority over the issue as it has resulted in loss of lives of members.
Addressing a press conference at EKSU in Ado Ekiti on Friday, ASUU chairman, Dr. Kayode Arogundade, explained that the geometric increase in the wage bill of the university from N380 million to N502 million caused the inability of the institution to pay up to date.
“The academic community of the university has become a source of scorn, ridicule and victim of embarrassment from the members of the larger society, owing largely to inability to live up to their family expectations. We view this with serious concerns, moreso that the university has not shown enough commitment to staff welfare.
“ASUU as a matter of urgency and civility impresses it on the management to pay up all the nine months outstanding salary of workers with immediate effect,” he said.
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Arogundade said unless the university pay up all salaries, he could no longer guarantee good working relationship between his members and the Vice Chancellor, Prof Eddy Olanipekun, who is a former ASUU chairman in EKSU and Ilorin zone.
The ASUU boss urged Governor Kayode Fayemi to implement the outcome of the Prof Bode Asubiojo-led visitation panel which vividly addressed the issues of tax, wage bill and other academic issues in the university, adding that the union won’t contemplate taking the government to court.
“We won’t issue empty threat but when we are ready, we will strike. The VC understands our language. We won’t care to take them to court for interpretation. We are paying higher than what was contained in the tax law. Government must look inwards and increase the IGR rather than saying we should go back to 2018 tax law that will create more burdens, ” he said.