The management of Abia State University, Uturu, has clarified that the lecturers seeking justice over unpaid 12-month salary arrears were offered temporary appointments by the previous state administration in 2023.
In a statement released on Thursday, titled “ABSU Staff Enjoying Regular Payment Of Salaries Under His Excellency, Dr. Alex Otti,” ABSU Registrar, Dr. Acho Elendu, stated that the so-called lecturers had been disengaged over a year ago, due to irregularities in their appointments.
The Registrar announced that the university management is committed to considering all qualified lecturers in the ongoing recruitment process, as approved by the state government, and urged caution to ensure fairness. This statement followed a newspaper report on July 16, 2025, titled “Abia Varsity Lecturers Lament 12 Months Unpaid Salaries.”
The report highlighted that around 200 lecturers at Abia State University, Uturu, were distressed over a year’s worth of unpaid salaries.
Chukwemeka Thompson, a representative for the lecturers, called on Governor Alex Otti to intervene and resolve the salary issue while also requesting that their appointments be regularised in the university payroll system. He expressed frustration over the lack of communication with both the governor and the university management.
Thompson said, “We were employed in 2023 as staff of Abia State University. We have been receiving salaries, but around June last year, our salaries stopped coming. So, we went to the Bursary unit to ask what happened, and they told us that we should go to the Accountant General’s office.” According to the said 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 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 and that the government gave instruction that they should stop the salary. “We have not been issued any disengagement letters.
“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 suffering.” he lamented
