AAU MULTI-CAMPUS POLICY : ASUU TACKLES OBASEKI ON POINTS OF LAW. . . You violated the laws establishing the institution.

By  Mike Aladenika, 

At last, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma Chapter has finally broken its silence on the proposed  creation of additional campuses out of Ambrose Alli University , Ekpoma, as well as the circumstances surrounding the appointment of a  Vice chancellor for the institution. 

The new campuses to be created  in Oredo and Owan West Local Government Areas of the State, came under sharp criticism from ASUU as

the Union described Governor Godwin Obaseki’s action as "the height of impunity and intolerable disdain for the laws of the University."

ASUU AAU, In a press statement  signed by Dr. Cyril Oziegbe Onogbosele and Dr. William Odion, Chairperson and Assistant Secretary respectively, copies of which was made available to newsmen in Benin City, claimed that "while the contentious Ambrose Alli University (Special Intervention Powers) Provisions Law 2021 did not give the Visitor the powers to create or establish more Campuses for the University,

the Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma Law 1999 (As Amended) makes provisions for the creation or establishment of additional Campuses, Colleges, Schools, Faculties and Research Units for the University. 

 “Governor Obaseki did not comply with the relevant provisions of the University Law in the creation of additional campuses for the University” beyond the fact that “the financial and administrative implications of creating additional campuses were not taken into serious consideration.”

The statement , said, "the Union examined the relevant provisions of the Ambrose Alli University Law 1999 (as amended) and the contentious Ambrose Alli University (Special Intervention Powers) Provisions Law 2021 vis-à-vis the way and manner the Governor Godwin Obaseki announced the creation of additional campuses out of Ambrose Alli University and concluded that the Governor did not only erred against the relevant provisions of the Law of the University in the establishment of additional campuses."

According to them, "his action also defied expected logical response to the reality and debilitating crisis  of poor funding of the University beyond the fact that “the financial and administrative implications of creating additional campuses were not taken into serious consideration.”

" the 1999 Law (As Amended), vested the powers to create/establish more Campuses, Colleges, Schools, Faculties or Research Units for the University on the Senate and the Governing Council of the University in a way and manner that specifically requires a simple majority vote."

The Union said, “Specifically, Section 9 (Functions of the Senate) subsection 2(a) states “without prejudice to the generality of the provisions of subsection (1) of this section, it shall in particular be (a) the establishment, organization and control of Campuses, Colleges, Faculties, Schools, Departments, Institutes and other teaching and research units of the University and allocation of responsibility for different branches of learning.”

 The Union further argued that the Law also specifically states in Section 5 subsection 5 that “the power of the University to establish Campuses and Colleges within the University shall be by statute” and that such statute to establish more Campuses must take cognizance of Section 12 subsections 1, 2 (a-b) and 4 of the said law. Highlighting Section 12, subsection 1 of the Law, ASUU AAU, Ekpoma revealed that “The power of the University to make statutes shall be exercised in accordance with the provisions of this section and not otherwise”. 

According to the Union, "Section 2 (a-b) has it that "A proposed Statute shall not become law unless it has been approved:at a meeting of the Senate, by the votes of not less than two thirds of the members present and voting, being not less than one-half of the total membership of Senate for the time being, and that a meeting of the Council, by the votes of not less than two-thirds of the members present and voting, being not less than one-half of the total membership of Council for the time being; and Section 4 states that, 

 “Any proposed statute which provides for the establishment of a new Campus, College, Faculty, School, Department or other teaching or research unit, or for the amendment or revocation of any statute whereby a campus, college, faculty, school, department or other teaching or research unit may originate in Senate, and shall be approved as required by subsection(2) of this section by the Senate, before being approved by the Council and presented to the Visitor.” 

The Union however regretted that "on the contrary the way and manner the Visitor to the University handled and announced the creation of additional Campuses for the University showed flagrant disregard for the relevant provisions of the 1999 Law of the University and the controversial Special Intervention Law 2021, which he personally passed last year. "The funding of a multi-campus University was much more expensive than managing it as a single campus."

 According to ASUU AAU, Ekpoma “at the moment, salaries, retirement and death benefits in Ambrose Alli University are massively in arrears. The University is not able to pay check-off dues and remit deductions to staff unions and cooperative saving schemes for 17 months now. The annual budgetary allocations for fiscal and recurrent expenditure for the University have not been coming from the State Government for many years now.”

The Union insisted that it was unthinkable that “a University that is under the pall of severe financial crisis occasioned by poor funding from the State Government is going to be made multi-campuses  by the same government. 

The Union said with emphasis that "multiplication of campuses was not the immediate problem of this University, adding that “all that the Visitor needs to do is to inject more funds to revitalize the teaching and research efforts of the University and provide necessary incentives to boost staff morale.”

“The Colleges of Education/Agriculture around the State do not need to be degree-awarding to function optimally and be centres of excellence. A well- funded  and vibrant Ambrose Alli University is enough to churn out and provide the degrees and intellectual leadership needed in Edo State”.

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