Tension is mounting among academic staff of the University of Benin (UNIBEN) following the alleged payment of only half of their August salary, a development that has renewed concerns over the funding of Nigeria’s public universities.
While academic staff were said to have received 50 per cent of their August salary, non-academic workers of the institution were reportedly paid their full salaries for the month.
The development, which came without prior notification to members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), has reportedly left many lecturers, particularly those servicing loans obtained from the university, in severe financial difficulty.
Some affected lecturers were said to have been left with little or nothing after deductions, at a time when families are making preparations for the resumption of schools later this month.
The development also comes against the backdrop of the Federal Government’s recent payment of five months’ salary arrears to university workers as part of the implementation of agreements reached with ASUU.
However, sources within the university community said the Federal Government’s inability to release regular subvention to the institution had placed additional financial pressure on the university management.
It was gathered that the university resorted to its internally generated revenue (IGR) to pay the half salary to academic staff for August.
The situation has consequently triggered fresh concerns over the sustainability of relying on universities’ internally generated funds to meet recurrent obligations traditionally supported by government funding.
In an attempt to calm the situation, the UNIBEN branch of ASUU issued an ‘important notice’ to members after meeting with the university administration over the salary issue.
The union said management had assured it that further payments would be made.
According to the statement signed by the branch Secretary, Dr L. O. Aimiyekagbon, members were assured that ‘more alerts will come soon,’ adding that there was therefore ‘no cause for alarm.’
The union urged members to remain calm while awaiting the outstanding payment.
Speaking on the development, the branch Chairman, Dr Enaruna Edosa, described the half-salary payment as a surprise but disclosed that management subsequently paid professorial allowances to deserving academic staff three days after the salary payment.
Edosa said he was optimistic that the remaining half of the August salary would be paid, based on assurances from the Vice-Chancellor.
‘I believe the Vice Chancellor that the outstanding half salary will be paid,’ he said.
The development has, however, raised questions about the implementation of the Federal Government’s agreements with university-based unions, particularly where funding responsibilities are transferred, directly or indirectly, to individual institutions.
University workers have repeatedly raised concerns over inadequate funding of public universities, arguing that irregular government releases could undermine the ability of institutions to meet salary obligations and sustain academic activities.
For the affected UNIBEN lecturers, the immediate concern remains when the balance of their August salary will be paid, especially as the new academic session and associated financial obligations draw closer.