Chairman and Secretary, University of Ibadan chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Dr. Deji Omole and Dr. Peter Olapegba have alleged threat to their lives over issues of earned academic allowances.
The duo in a letter titled “Threat to Life”, addressed to the Chairman of the Council on Security and copied to Divisional Police Officer Sango, stated that they have been receiving verbal threats to their lives on issues related to allowances of their colleagues.
In the letter seen by DAILY POST on Tuesday, Omole and Olapegba, said”…we have been receiving verbal threat to lives hinged on the issues of earned academic allowances in the last few days. You may wish to investigate and take serious steps to secure the lives of our members”.
Our correspondent who visited the institution at 11.20 am on Tuesday observed that both academic and non-academic activities at the university were paralysed as non-teaching staff of the institution protested against disparity in federal government disbursed earned allowances/earned academic allowances.
It was gathered that the Federal government had disbursed the sum of N18.3billion to pay for earned academic Allowances of twenty-two universities for 2009/2010 while the sum of N4.6billion were allocated to Non-teaching Staff in twenty-four universities.
Our correspondent also gathered that out of these amount, University of Ibadan Academic Staff got N1.6billion for Earned Academic Allowances while non-teaching staff were allocated N105million.
It was learnt that as early as 7:30am, all four gates of the institutions were put under lock and key while persons having businesses to transact on campus were forced to trek distances into the school.
Traffic gridlock stretched from UI end to Orogun while many had to abandon their vehicles by the road sides.
Lectures were also paralysed as lecturers had to exit lecture halls following news of threat to attack them by the Non Teaching Staff.
Our correspondent, however, gathered that Vice Chancellor of the Institution, Professor Idowu Olayinka had called a meeting of union executives over the payment of the allowances Monday evening.
He intimated them of the letter he received from the federal government with stipulated amount for Academic staff and the other for non-teaching, assuring he would follow the directive.
At the Monday meeting were Representatives of ASUU led by Omole, NASU led by its Chairman Segun Arojo, SSANU by Dr. Wale Akinremi, the three Deputy Vice Chancellors, and the Bursar Mr Michael Alatise.
The Vice Chancellor was said to have read the letter from the Federal Government (Ministries of Finance and Education) on the received monies for the payment of Earned Academic Allowances/Earned Allowances.
Chairman SSANU Dr. Wale Akinremi, while responding, said that they had received a directive not to be part of any sharing committee on earned allowances stating that they were aware that it was not problem from within UI but Abuja.
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