BEVERLY HILLS, May 16, (THEWILL) – Governor Udom Emmanuel has disclosed that the Akwa Ibom State University (AKSU) located at Ikot Akpaden, Mkpat Enin LGA, received N327 million in grants on a monthly basis.
The Governor made the disclosure during an interactive session with the people of Akwa Ibom State through a phone in programme on local radio stations tagged: “Udom Speaks,” at the weekend, mentioning that lecturers in the instruction received the highest salaries anywhere in the country.
The disclosure by the Governor came on the heels of the dwindling fortunes of the state-owned university, which had been in and out of academic activities due to issues of salaries and the welfare package of both the academic and non-academic staff members.
Emmanuel said: “I give the Akwa Ibom State University N327 million every month as grant. Also, going by the figures I have, lecturers in AKSU receive the highest salaries anywhere in the country.
“For sustainability, I decided that we align with the NUC salary scale applicable everywhere in the country, that is the crux of the disagreement.”
He queried the rationale behind the continuous strike by the staff members of the institution, in spite of the regular funding it was getting from the state government.
THEWILL reports that the Governor had recently received a report by the visitation panel set up about a year ago to look into the problems bedeviling the varsity.
He said: “We are spending huge amounts of money in providing infrastructure in AKSU.
“Look at the Obio Akpa campus, when we came in, we had to put in money, and today, if you go there, you will see the difference.
“Even the main campus, see the internal roads, right from the gate.”
He chided the management of the institution for not working toward being self-reliant and sustainable.
“Moreso, AKSU has two different staff unions and that is not the fault of the syate government. I am optimistic these issues will be resolved, I have set up a panel of enquiry to that effect,” he assured.
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