AAU crisis deepens as ASUU accuses management of mass sack

The crisis rocking the Ambrose Alli University (AAU) has taken another dimension after the varsity’s Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) accused the management of sacking its members.

For some weeks now, the varsity has witnessed protests from aggrieved staff who alleged maladministration, intimidation, and victimisation by Sonnie Adagbonyin, the acting vice-chancellor of AAU.

On Tuesday, a letter surfaced alleging 22 lecturers had been fired by the management of the institution.

The letter was circulated alongside a notice of disengagement addressed to Jude Obasanmi, a lecturer at the department of economics in the institution.

NAN reports that Cyril Onogbosele, the varsity’s ASUU chairman, claimed its members were sacked as part of attempts to suppress them from demanding what is due to them.

But reacting, Lawrence Isiraojie, the institution’s spokesperson, dismissed the claim of mass dismissal.

“The claims are not a true reflection of happening in the school,” he said.

The spokesperson said only one lecturer from the department of economics was disengaged while a professor from the modern languages was retired.

“The information circulating around about the mass sack is not true. Management has not sacked those workers they listed on the paper circulating round the social media. Only two individuals were affected,” he added.

Onogbosele, however, countered the claim by the spokesperson, alleging that 22 lecturers were sacked by the management.

“Already 22 staff members have been given sack letters”, the ASUU chairman said.

Onogbosele further said about 90 workers might be affected in the ensuing melee.

“The move is part of attempt to suppress the staff members from demanding what was due to them,” he said.

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

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

”Some are being owed for 21 months’ salaries, while selective salary payment has become the order of the day.”

The latest drama comes days after the management dismissed claims that it refused to pay staff of the institution.