Management of Abia State University Uturu ( ABSU ) and a group of its Lecturers are discordant over the Lecturers’ claim of being owed their 12 months salary arrears.
A news report of 16 July, 2025, titled ” Abia varsity lecturers lament 12 months unpaid salaries”, stated that “about 200 lecturers engaged by the Abia State University Uturu, in 2023, have expressed sadness over the institution’s inability to pay their 12 months old salary arrears owed them”.
The report also stated that the Spokesperson of the lecturers, Chukwemeka Thompson, appealed to the State Governor, Alex Otti, to intervene to settle their indebtedness without delay.
The news report further stated that Thompson also urged the governor to regularize their appointment in the university payroll system, and lamented that efforts to meet with the state governor were futile, while the university’s management attitude did not help them.
Thompson (the Spokesman ) said that they were employed in 2023 as staff of Abia State University and had been receiving salaries, but around June last year, their salary was stopped. ” We went to the Bursary unit to ask what actually happened and they told us that we should go to the Accountant General office”.
In the newspaper report, Thompson also said ” when they met the university’s management, they were informed that they are no longer the people in charge of paying salaries, after they had completed verification and registered, and have been teaching, grading and graduating students.
” We were told that they were under instruction by the government not to pay them at the Accountant General Office. They told us that the government gave instruction that they should stop the salary.
“We have not been issued any disengagement letter. We have not officially seen anything. But we have our employment letters duly signed and given to us individually. We keep pleading for them to please try and reach out to the governor that we are really suffering”.
When Cross Country News @ nigeriareports.net, contacted the ABSU Management on this matter, the Registrar, Dr Acho Elendu, released a statement dated 16 July, 2025 marked “ABSU Staff Enjoying Regular Payment Of Salaries Under His Excellency, Dr. Alex Otti, OFR”,
He (Registrar) , described the newspaper publication as mischievous, malicious, misleading, maintaining that the Lecturers Claim and allegation are untrue and calculated attempt to blackmail the University Management and the State Government.
According to Elendu, ” it is on record that since assumption of office as the 5th democratically elected Executive Governor of Abia State and Visitor to Abia State University on 29th May, 2023, His Excellency Dr. Alex Otti, OFR has ensured prompt and regular payment of salaries of verified staff of the University.
” His Excellency, in his characteristic magnanimity and uncommon passion for Education, also approved payment of 11-months arrears of salaries owed by previous Administration. Ten (10) months of the arrears have so far been paid.
” The agitators (Lecturers) who were given temporary appointments by previous Administration in 2023, were disengaged over a year ago, due to irregularities in their appointments.
” Management has promised that as many of them that applied and qualified for employment, will be considered alongside others, in the ongoing recruitment exercise as was graciously approved by the State Government”.
