The staff welfare organization of the University of Applied Science, Engineering, and Technology (USET) held a press conference Wednesday to draw attention to “the present distressful and painful financial issues that linger on silent within the institution.

According to Samuel Mendy, the association’s spokesman, these financial obligations have chained USET employees—particularly the subordinates—to poverty, financial oppression, stagnation, and social disempowerment.

Failure to pay monthly contributions arrears to worker welfare and stopping to deposit these monies in the account despite deductions are the primary financial problems driving this dissatisfaction, he said.

As per Mendy’s statement, these arrears began in March 2023 and currently total D262.800.00. According to him, there is still a significant problem with members’ unpaid monthly deductions from their accounts and their failure to deposit the arrears, which they owe the Credit Union.

Specifically, the GTTI Credit Union became insolvent due to the USET’s outstanding debt of D1.432.036, which made it nearly difficult for members to take out their own money.

Another instance of financial mismanagement is the failure to pay staff income tax to the Gambia Revenue Authority, despite pay stubs consistently demonstrating deductions. Furthermore, it has been six months from the start of the program to its conclusion and the contractual teachers for the Ordinary National Diploma-(Construction) course have not received money since the end of the semester. Mendy bemoaned that “the amount owed to these lecturers for the four-month semester program amounts to D72,000.00.”

He continued, calling it “worrisome” that the Social Security and Housing Finance Cooperation’s staff gratuity savings have not been paid since September 2023. since this is what is paid for a pension after retirement.

The PRO said that there is “segregation for a selected few staff” in the new USET pay system, while the majority of the remainder continue to be paid under the old GTTI pay scale.

This demonstrates the indifference, lack of effort, and patronizing demeanor of the USET leadership. Additionally, this institution is starting to accept monthly salary delays as the standard. These are only a few of the financial disparities; there are more, according to Mendy.

He claimed that although there have been talks to address these issues, nothing has been accomplished up until the deadline of September 30. After that, a sit-down action will begin until our demands are fulfilled.