Teaching as well as non-teaching staff of the University of Cross River State have protested nonpayment of their salaries by the management of the institution.
A month ago, the new leadership of the UNICROSS Alumni Association, led by Dr Peter Iyali, donated bags of rice to the workers and also wrote letters appealing to the state governor to intervene to clear the five-month backlog of salaries.
The workers carried placards denouncing the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Austin Angbah, and calling for his sack.
Reacting, the VC berated the workers’ unions, alleging that they incited their members to take to the streets.
The VC said there was no need for the protest against management as management has begun to pay the backlog.
“I don’t know what they are going to ask for because salaries are being paid,” he said, explaining that the leadership of the Joint Action Committee (JAC), NASU, NAT and SSANU in the institution decided to back out of the protest since the backlog was being paid.
Amgbah alleged that four members hijacked the workers’ union, inciting people to go out to the streets to protest.
“The four persons are not representing the opinion of the Congress. They have taken the law into their own hands. Their national president must hear this,” he stated.
Speaking, the chairman of the UNICROSS branch of SSANU, Mac Enang Ayu, denied the accusation of incitement.
” My members were hungry and didn’t listen to me. The people who protested are not SSANU members but NASU,” he said.
Protests rock Calabar varsity over nonpayment of staff salaries