“We’re Suffering in Silence”: Absu Lecturers Cry Out Over 12 Months Unpaid Salary

Nearly 200 lecturers employed by Abia State University, Uturu, in 2023 have raised an emotional appeal to Governor Alex Otti, pleading for intervention after enduring over a year without pay.

Speaking to newsmen, Chukwemeka Thompson, who serves as the spokesperson for the affected group, revealed that the university abruptly stopped paying their salaries in June 2023 despite the fact that they have continued to work, teaching students, marking scripts, and fulfilling all academic responsibilities.

“We were officially employed last year and everything seemed fine at first. But by June, the salaries just stopped,” he said. “We went to the bursary department to find out what happened, and they directed us to the Accountant General’s office. That was where we were told, quite shockingly, that there was a directive from the government not to pay us.”

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Thompson explained that further inquiries with the university management only led to more confusion.

“They confirmed the instruction came from above. They told us the government had taken over financial control from the school. Since then, it’s been a cycle of empty promises and silence. In December 2024, one of our colleagues brought word that the governor had resolved the issue and that we would be paid. We waited. Nothing came.”

The affected lecturers say they’ve received no disengagement letters and still hold valid appointment letters. “No one has told us we’re no longer staff. We’re just left in limbo working, waiting, and starving,” Thompson lamented. “We keep begging the authorities to take our message to the governor. We are really suffering.”

Other lecturers, including Dr. Nwosu Nkemakolam Bright and Okpechi Chinemerem, echoed similar frustrations, urging Governor Otti to look into their situation, especially after resolving salary issues in other institutions, including Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic in Aba.

The Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Abia State University chapter, Dr. Chidi Mba, also acknowledged the issue. He called for the lecturers’ immediate reintegration and payment, affirming that they were properly recruited and have not been officially disengaged.

“These are people with families. People who left other opportunities to serve the state. It’s not just a matter of wages, it’s their dignity, their livelihood,” he said.

As the silence continues, the affected lecturers say they are fast running out of hope, but still trust that the governor will listen and act.