Management, ASUU differ on allegation of mass sack in Ambrose Alli varsity

The management of the Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma has dismissed the claim of mass sacking of members of staff being made by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

The Public Relations Officer of the institution, Mr Lawrence Isiraojie, told newsmen that there was no truth in the claim.

It was reported that a list of 22 workers purportedly disengaged by the state-owned university surfaced on online on Tuesday.

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

The chairman of ASUU in the university, Dr Cyril Onogbosele, said the staff members were sacked as part of attempts to suppress the staff from demanding what was due them.

But Isiraojie, said:”the claims are not a true reflection of happening in the school.

The spokesman however confirmed that 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 said.

The ASUU chairmen, however said:”already 22 staff members have been given sack letters”, adding that up to 90 workers might be affected.

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

”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”.