Bp Holdings Audit services: Lecturers protest on irregular payment of salaries

<strong>Bp</strong> <strong>Holdings</strong> <strong>Audit</strong> <strong>services</strong>: <strong>Lecturers</strong> <strong>protest</strong> on
irregular payment of salaries
<strong>Lecturers</strong> <strong>protest</strong> tax policy, irregular payment of salaries
“For instance, a senior lecturer in OOU pays more tax than a professor at the Federal
University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNNAB).”
<strong>Lecturers</strong> at the Olabisi Onabanjo University, OOU, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, on Monday
staged a peaceful <strong>protest</strong> alleging arbitrary tax policy and irregular payment of salaries since
2011.
The lecturers were seen carrying placards with various inscriptions chanting solidarity
songs.
Addressing journalists after the demonstration, Deji Agboola, the Chairman of the
Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, OOU branch, decried what he described as
haphazard payment of the salaries of his members in the past three years.
He said that the irregular payment had made it difficult for the lecturers to plan and meet
some financial obligations such as payment of rents and their children’s school fees.
“The astronomic and arbitrary tax policy to which our members are subjected has further
pauperised them.
“For instance, a senior lecturer in OOU pays more tax than a professor at the Federal
University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNNAB).
“The deductions have failed to take cognisance of the Consolidated Peculiar University
Academic Allowance (CONPUA),’’ he said.
Mr. Agboola alleged that the situation had persisted since 2011 in spite of several letters of
appeal to State Internal Revenue Service and the, OOU management.
The Chairman noted that such situation was capable of exposing his members to the
temptation of unethical practises.
He therefore appealed to Governor Ibikunle Amosun, to intervene in the matter urgently to
save his members from their plight.
Mr. Agboola, however, directed his members to boycott classes as from March 18 until their
requests were addressed.
The union also used the occasion to sensitise the students on their action and presented a
letter of grievances to the Vice Chancellor, Saburi Adesanya, for onward transmission to the
governor.