Rufus Giwa Poly Lecturers Demand Salary Arrears, Refuse Exams Until Payment

Lecturers at Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, under the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), have taken a stand against the irregular payment of salaries, demanding the settlement of their 11-month salary arrears before conducting examinations for students.

ASUP Chairman, Ade Arikawe, expressed the lecturers' frustration during a news conference, emphasizing their inability to work on empty stomachs. Arikawe revealed that despite their efforts over seven years, the issue of irregular salary payment persists.

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"We did this for the sake of Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, who is an Owo native, to prevent his political opponents from exploiting the non-payment of salaries against him," Arikawe said. However, he highlighted that the lecturers can no longer endure the situation and will not conduct exams until their salary arrears are paid.

Since the beginning of 2023, academic staff at the polytechnic have only received their February salary and a partial payment for March. The outstanding salary arrears, totaling over N6 billion, include salaries, promotion benefits, and other expenses.

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Arikawe expressed concern about the institution's failure to pay financial benefits to staff promoted since 2015 and highlighted significant deficits in infrastructure, equipment, and teaching aids. He attributed the chronic salary delays to the continuous reduction in government subvention to the polytechnic, which began during the administration of former Governor Olusegun Mimiko.

The ASUP chairman disputed the government's claim to have cleared salary backlogs for other workers while neglecting the polytechnic lecturers. He commended the state government for reinstating some ASUP members previously sacked due to their union activities.

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The lecturers' stance underscores the ongoing challenges faced by educators in Nigeria's tertiary institutions, advocating for fair compensation and sustainable funding to ensure quality education.