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From Tony Osauzo, Benin
A dispute over whether an August payment to University of Benin (UNIBEN) lecturers was salary or an allowance yesterday shut down academic activities as the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) began an indefinite strike.
While ASUU insists its members were underpaid for August and has vowed to withhold services until the shortfall is cleared, the university management says no salary is outstanding, maintaining that the payment at the centre of the dispute was the Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance (CATA), not salary.
The conflicting claims have pitched the lecturers against the university authorities, with ASUU ordering an immediate halt to teaching, supervision and participation in Senate, Faculty and Departmental Board meetings.
The strike followed a congress of the UNIBEN branch, which invoked a National Executive Council (NEC) resolution empowering branches to withdraw services where salaries are not fully paid by the third day of a new month.
In a communiqué signed by the branch Chairman, Enaruna Edosa, and Secretary, L. O. Aimiyekagbon, the union also cited the September 5 Emergency NEC resolution directing branches in federal universities affected by salary underpayment to take action.
The congress consequently “declared a total and indefinite withdrawal of services until the underpaid salaries are fully paid.”
Members were directed to cease teaching, supervision, attendance at Departmental Board, Faculty Board and Senate meetings as well as all other academic and administrative activities.
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ASUU said the decision would be reviewed only at an emergency congress.
UNIBEN management, however, rejected the premise of the strike, insisting that the Federal Government had paid August salaries in full.
In a statement by the university’s Public Relations Officer, Benedicta Ehanire, management said the payment being interpreted as half salary was actually CATA.
“The Management declared that the Federal Government has paid the salaries of all categories of staff up to August, 2026,” it said.
Management further disclosed that CATA had since been released by the Federal Government and disbursed to eligible workers.
It assured staff that all legitimate entitlements would be paid without hindrance and cautioned against the sensationalisation of issues capable of disrupting industrial harmony.
But with ASUU maintaining that its members’ August salaries were underpaid and management insisting there is no salary shortfall, academic activities remain caught in the dispute over exactly what was paid — and what, if anything, is still owed.
