Ondo State University Workers Protest Unpaid N35,000 Wage Award During Convocation

Mar 5, 2024 - 17:33

Ondo State University Workers Protest Unpaid N35,000 Wage Award During Convocation

Workers of Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa, Ondo State, staged a protest on Monday, March 4th, 2024, decrying the non-payment of the N35,000 wage award by the state government. The demonstration, organized by the Joint Action Committee of all Tertiary Institutions, follows the state government's failure to extend the wage allowance to workers of tertiary institutions, despite its implementation for state civil servants since November 2023.

The indefinite strike, initiated by the staff of the institution last week, saw participation from organized labor unions including the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, the Non-Academic Staff Union, and the National Association of Academic Technologists, all representing Ondo State-owned tertiary institutions.

Protesters, rallying with chants and placards bearing messages such as 'All we are saying, pay us wage award,' and 'Wage award is our right don't deny us,' voiced their grievances over the delay in receiving the wage award.

Addressing the gathering, Dayo Temola, the state JAC Chairman of the institution, expressed disappointment over the government's alleged failure to disburse the wage award and other allowances. Temola emphasized the urgency of implementing the 2019 minimum wage and demanded a 100% increase in the monthly subvention of the university, highlighting the disparity between promised and actual funding.

SEE MORE: Nigerian Lady Emerges as Overall Best Graduating Pharmacy Student

"The government promised us N91 million on paper and has been giving us N63 million. It is far lower than the wage bills of the university," Temola stated, citing financial strain faced by university workers amid rising living costs.

In response to the protest, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, who was present at the institution for a convocation ceremony, appealed to the agitated workers and scheduled a meeting with union leaders of the university on Tuesday to address their concerns.

The unresolved issue underscores the ongoing struggle for fair compensation and financial stability among workers in Nigeria's tertiary education sector, amid broader economic challenges facing the nation.