The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Benin (UNIBEN) chapter has discribed the half salaries paid lecturers for October by the Federal government as an onslaught against intellectuals.
The association also claimed the Federal government’s action was aimed at demoralising workforce in the universities and to prepare the ground for eventual destruction of the system.
The chairman of ASUU UNIBEN Chapter, Dr. Ray Chikogu, disclosed this when he led aggrieved lecturers on a peaceful rally held at the institution’s campus in Benin City, Edo State.
Chikogu accused the federal government of a systematic destruction of the Nigerian University system by the withholding salaries of University intellectuals for the month of March to September 2022.
According to him, the payment of October 2022 salaries to academic staff on a prorated basis is as if intellectualism is a menial job. But intellectuals engaged in research and the pursuit of knowledge.
“This atrocious course of action by the federal government is clearly borne out of unpatriotic and selfish intent, without any consideration for the growth and development needs of this nation,” he stated.
University lecturers have been at loggerheads with the federal government over none implementation of the 2009 agreement bordering on welfare and improved education standard.
The union had embarked on eight months strike to press home its demand.
The court however ordered the lecturers to resume in mid October.
The Federal government has nonetheless insisted that it wouldn’t pay for the months during which the union went on strike.
