Gbenro Adesina
The body of National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT), University of Ibadan (UI) has inundated the Governing Council of the nation’s Premier University and the newly appointed Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Kayode Adebowale with the corrupt practices that have previously characterized the disbursement of Earned Allowance in the institution, demanding the stoppage of corrupt practices.
The body clearly stated that failure of the management to rid the institution of corrupt practices, the Union shall use all available means including legal action to resolve the matter.
These was the outcome of the combined Congress of the Technologists (NAAT), comprising workshop, clinic and Laboratory Technician on Friday November 19, 2021, in front of Trenchard Hall summoned to deliberate on the expected 25 percent of the 22.1billion naira meant for nonteaching staff of federal universities and the University of Ibadan inclusive.
In a letter addressed to Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, the UI Chairman of Governing Council and copied the Vice Chancellor, titled, “The release and disbursement of N22.1billion Earned Allowance for staff of federal universities: save our soul” and addressed to Adebowale, the Union “traced the history of the past disbursement and payments from 2013 to 2020, which showed previous payments of these allowances not to have followed the contents of the unions agreements but rather the use of the Earned Allowances money to “buy peace” by the University of Ibadan managements not minding sacrificing justice”.
The letter signed by the Acting Chairman of NAAT, Comrade Yahaya Paul, reads, “The Congress strongly expresses its displeasure on the modality of the payments of earned allowances, especially where occupational hazard allowance which is one of the component of the earned allowances, has demoniously and maliciously been replaced with another independently existing item of Earned Allowances, hazard allowance contrary to the 2019 unions agreements.
“The congress pointed out that Occupation Hazard Allowance is N30, 000 and N15000 per month for senior and junior members of staff respectively and payable only to staff that are routinely exposed to hazard in the labouratory, workshops, studio and clinics. However, Hazard Allowance is payable to all staff at the existing rate of N333 per month.
“The congress also noted that other allowances that have been haphazardly paid since 2013 to 2020 should be accurately and duly paid in this disbursement. These allowances are: Responsibility, Labouratory Students/Technologists Staff Ratio Supplementation, Students Work Experience Programme (SWEP), Field Trips and Call Duty”.
The Union concluded, “Therefore, arising from the above deliberations and considerations, Comrade Olufemi Akintoye (a member of NAAT) moved a motion which was ably seconded by comrade Emmanuel Nnodim (a labouratory technician) that this disbursement to the University of Ibadan be paid only to deserving staff in accordance with the dictate of different Unions Agreements bearing in mind that the contentions Occupation Hazard Allowance has been implemented for seven percent of deserving members of staff that legal means should be invoked or committed to interpret the 2019 FGN/NAAT Agreement for proper understanding and implementation of components therein”.
