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Halt The Sack And Victimization Of Union Activists in Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Now Or Else – ASUU Warns

THE Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has alerted the public and human rights community that the Edo State-owned Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma is sliding into full blown administrative tyranny and dictatorship as the rights of workers to protest and strike are being violated and curtained with unjustifiable punishment of sack and compulsory retirement of staff by the authorities of the University.
The University authorities yesterday terminated the appointment of a Lecturer II and the compulsory retirement of a female Professor (names withheld) in the University in what is being perceived as the beginning of a serious crack down on vocal intellectuals and labour activists in the University for daring to agitate and protest against non-payment of salaries of workers and sundry other problems in the University.
In a press statement yesterday in Benin City, the Union said that the victims of undue termination of appointment and retirement were not convicted of any misconduct/gross misconduct or violation of the University’s rules and regulations to warrant such unjust treatment resulting from arbitrariness, abuse of university rules and regulation. The Union emphasized that in the letters issued to the affected staff, no cogent or justifiable reasons were given for the action.
In the statement signed by Dr. Cyril Oziegbe Onogbosele and Dr. William Odion, Chairperson and Assistant Secretary of ASUU AAU, Ekpoma, respectively, the Union described the action of the University as politically motivated and a calculated attempt to suppress trade unionism, democratic principles and academic freedom.
“The Union views the action by the University authorities as a condemnable one against the backdrop that the victims are past Executive Committee (EXCO) members and other out-spoken, well-meaning members of the Union who have championed the cause for regular payment of salaries of staff of the University, due process in the administration of the University and the need for the University Administration to uphold the traditions and ethos of a modern university.
The Union called on the Visitor to the University and Executive Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki and the general public to prevail on the authorities of the University to rescind “this autocratic and malicious decision” to engender justice, peace and industrial harmony in the University.
“Certainly, the current situation in AAU, Ekpoma is not how a university should be administered in the 21st century”, the Union said.

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