…as they call on well meaning Nigerians to come to the aid of Paul University Staff before it is too late
Staff and students of Paul University Awka have asked the Nigeria Universities Commission (NUC) to shut down Paul University Awka, Anambra State over its failure to pay its staff 28 months salary.
This is coming as the Primate Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, His Grace, Most Rev Henry Ndukuba failed in his promises to resolve the lingering salary arrears.
Ndukuba had recently promised protesting staff during inauguration of the Law faculty built and donated by the Archbishop Province of the Niger and Anglican Bishop of Awka , Most Rev. Alexander Ibezim that he would look into the workers salary with a view of resolving it.
The students are fed up and the staff handicapped, expressing displeasure on the continuous ill-treatment meted to them by the stakeholders claiming ownership of the university including 55 dioceses east of the Niger presided over by Archbishops ,Bishops, Board Of Trustees, Council and the Management of the University.
The staff described the agony they are passing through as uncalled for inhuman, and unchristian ,alleging further that they were being subjected to forced labour without pay, intimidation and worst human degradation ever recorded in labour history.
One of the staff Jak Kofro (not real name) claimed that the staff are owed huge salaries arrears including contract staff: 25 months, adjunct staff: 28 months and regular staff 16 months.
The staff said despite these arrears of salaries that have reduced the entire staff to objects of caricature, the Board of trustees, the Governing Council and Management of the University arose from a joint meeting recently and agreed to terminate the appointment of any staff that goes on strike as a result of arrears owed them, describing it as wickedness in high places and an act unbecoming of people who call themselves Christians.
Other staff who spoke to our correspondent admitted that the Vice- Chancellor Ven Prof. Obiora Nwosu though new has tried in some areas and his efforts glaring that he wouldn’t like to owe but handicapped due to resources to do the needful. They however noted that he has no empathy for the suffering staff of the University, who have been making priceless sacrifices to ensure survival of the University.
They revealed further that the Vice-Chancellor and other principal staff have been sharing money that should be used for paying staff salaries particularly the aged staff who have no other sources of income and could not even do loading and off loading at weekends or concrete works (menial jobs to survive). They alleged that recently the Vice- Chancellor allocated 1 million to himself without Council’s approval, and also approved funds to the Acting Bursar and the Deputy Registrar indiscriminately. This claims, they said could be verified by engaging external auditor to audit that University Account.
The aggrieved staff claimed that another way the Vice-Chancellor and other Principle staff waste money is by requesting for refunds of their out of pocket expenses bi-weekly.
They posited that most staff could not pay their children’s school fees, yet they are teaching other people’s children, adding that it’s a shame that 55 Anglican Dioceses East of the Niger cannot man one University that is equally a tool of evangelism for the Church. He regretted working in such a University where the Vice- Chancellor is a priest yet can never address his staff in a manner that characterized Christianity. They said it is unacceptable for the Vice-chancellor to insult and intimidate staff (both young and old) with little or no provocation, even as they called on the owners, well meaning Anglicans and well as other Nigerians to come to the aid of Paul University Staff before it is too late.
They revealed that most of the staff (contract, adjunct and regular) agreed that the ongoing exams should be stopped until 3 months salaries are paid.
They further argued that once the exams are over, no salary would be paid again this year. He recounted the experience of last year December Holiday that staff vacated without a salary. Also, they claimed that lack of diplomacy on the part of the Vice- chancellor has caused more harm than good.
A source close to the Vice-chancellor, said that the management should have leveraged on the Primate’s promises during the commissioning of Law faculty, to obtain sufficient funds to clear the backlog of salary arrears, instead of finding faults with the staff because they were asking for their long overdue salaries.
The situation is pitiable, sorrowful, unholy, illegitimate and unacceptable. The owners, Board Of Trustees, Council, and well meaning Anglicans and non-Anglican should come to the assistance of these suffering and starving staff who have put in all to make the University to stand. For 2022, only 3 three months salaries (January – March) have been paid, and today is 30th November. Is it good? Is it biblical?
The Vice-Chancellor, Prof Obiorah Nwosu who retired as Librarian Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka and currently a Venerable in the Anglican Communion could not be reached, the Public Relations Officer of the Institution, Sir Ikechukwu Abana, when contacted by our reporter, he described the report as a mere speculation while declining further comment on the matter.
Efforts to ensure he speaks further on the One million accused on the vice-chancellor and other management staff as well as other issues were rebuffed.
The students are threatening to abandon their admissions in the university and move to Peter University Achina or any other University if nothing is done before long as they are tired of lecturers agonizing rather than giving their best while doing their duties.
