AAU debunks sack of 22 lecturers

Idahosa Moses | Benin City

THE Management of Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma (AAU), on Tuesday, denied the news making the rounds that it sacked 22 lecturers of the University, describing it as a figment of the imagination of some mischief makers in the state.

It would be recalled that a list of 22 workers purportedly disengaged by the Edo-owned university surfaced online on Tuesday.

The letter was circulated alongside a letter of disengagement addressed to one Dr. Jude Obasanmi of the Department of Economics in the institution.

Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of University in the institution, Dr Cyril Onogbosele, alleged that the staff members were sacked as part of attempts to suppress the staff from demanding what is due to them.

Onogbosele claimed that staff of the University who were not due for retirement were included in the list, wondering why that should be done in the institution.

“How on earth do you retire workers who are not due for retirement?What the management is doing by this action is suppress workers from asking for their dues.

“Some are being owed for 21 months, while selective salary payment has become the other of the day.

“Fourteen professors have been shortlisted for retirement, which will be a great loss to the school,” he added.

But, in a swift reaction, the University’s Public Relations Officer, Lawrence Isiraojie, said the news making the around was never a true reflection of happening in the school.

He, however, confirmed that only one lecturer from the Department of Economics was disengaged, while a professor from the Modern Languages was retired.

“Those are only the two individuals that are affected last week Friday.

“Ambrose Alli university has not sacked those workers they have listed on the paper circulating round the social media.

“We have not sacked anybody and those briefing they are giving is not a true reflection in Ambrose Alli university,” he said.