By Saintmoses Eromosele
Ekpoma, Edo State –
Ambrose Alli University (AAU) has officially responded to reports circulating in the media that some of its staff members are being owed up to 32 months of unpaid salaries. The University, in a press statement released by Otunba Mike Ade Aladenika, Head of Corporate Communications and Protocol, described the claims as exaggerated and misleading.
The controversy began after a political video surfaced, featuring some university lecturers decrying alleged unpaid salaries. According to AAU, while the video was indeed filmed at the University’s Senior Staff Club and featured recognizable staff members, the claims made in the video were not reflective of the situation at large. The University clarified that the allegations were driven by a few embittered staff members, some of whom had issues with the biometric verification exercise conducted in 2021. These staff members had their names removed from the payroll after failing to complete the necessary documentation or refusing to participate in the exercise.
The press statement emphasized that AAU pays its staff in full by the 26th of each month, citing that the July salaries were disbursed on July 26, 2024, and that the same is expected for August. The University has invited independent verification to confirm this claim. The University also refuted allegations that staff who had been removed from the payroll were being promoted, stating that the only promotions approved were for the 2019/2020 and 2020/2021 appraisal years, long before the biometric exercise began.
The University also addressed claims made in the video that it was “dead” or “destroyed.” On the contrary, AAU reported that it is currently conducting 1st Semester examinations for the 2023/2024 academic session, and academic activities such as inaugural lectures, workshops, and seminars are proceeding as scheduled. Furthermore, the University pointed out that despite attempts to discredit it, AAU remains a top choice for admission seekers.
As the Edo State gubernatorial elections draw near, AAU urged stakeholders to avoid dragging the University into political battles, reassuring the public that with the recent inauguration of a new Governing Council
