UNIBEN refutes half-salary allegations

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The management of the University of Benin has refuted reports claiming that it paid half salary to its academic staff, describing the allegations as false.

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Members of the university’s chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities had on Thursday suspended an indefinite strike embarked upon on September 9 over a pay dispute.

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The resolution to suspend the industrial action followed a commitment by the university management to pay the lecturers their Earned Academic Allowance component for June, July, and August no later than September 18.

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In a statement on Friday, the Public Relations Officer of the university, Benedicta Ehanire, said full salaries were paid in August, just as in previous months, after the Federal Government issued a payment warrant enabling disbursements to all staff categories before the end of the month.

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Ehanire stated that during a meeting between management and the local ASUU executive, the distinction between salary and allowances payable to different categories of staff was clarified.

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She added that union leaders were made to understand the tax implications of combining both emoluments into a single disbursement.

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The spokesperson noted that the union was also reminded of the potential financial detriment to staff members if they failed to observe the statutory distinctions provided under the new tax framework.

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“The management of the University of Benin has again reiterated that the report of payment of half salary to academic staff of the university is patently false,” the statement read in part.

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“Management emphasised that full salary was paid in August, like all previous months, and that the Federal Government issued a payment warrant which enabled payment of salary to all categories of staff before the end of August.

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“Second, the Federal Government’s portion of allowances for academic staff—which was delayed by the non-release of a warrant—was also fully paid in line with the payment warrant released by the government to all tertiary institutions across the country.

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“The single University Governing Council portion of allowance due to certain categories of academic staff has also been paid following necessary verification of those entitled to receive it.”

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Ehanire expressed confidence that the clarifications would resolve the controversies surrounding the payment of emoluments, assuring stakeholders that peace and academic harmony would be sustained on campus.

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She concluded by emphasizing the need for official dialogue and clarification of concerns among all stakeholders to avert unnecessary industrial disputes.

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