Academic and administrative activities across all state-owned tertiary institutions in Ondo State have come to a halt following the commencement of a 14-day warning strike declared by the Joint Action Committee of the institutions’ unions.
The strike, which began at midnight on Wednesday, June 19, has paralysed operations in key institutions including Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko; Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa; University of Medical Sciences, Ondo; and Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo.
The Joint Action Committee (JAC) is comprised of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU), National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT), and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Polytechnics (SSANIP).
In a communiqué jointly signed by the Chairman of JAC for Ondo State Tertiary Institutions, Mr Olutayo Ogungbeni, and the Secretary, Mr Kunle Akinwonmi, the unions attributed the industrial action to the failure of the state government to implement the national minimum wage, settle salary arrears, release outstanding wage awards, and pay gratuities to retired staff.
They also cited the case of workers at Rufus Giwa Polytechnic who are currently being owed six months’ salary, describing the situation as “unacceptable and inhumane.”
Speaking with The PUNCH on the matter, the Chairman of JAC at Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology (OAUSTECH), Mr Bobola Bamigbola, said the strike was borne out of frustration, adding that government subvention to institutions is grossly inadequate.
He said, “The strike has to do with the subventions the government is giving to the tertiary institutions. The subvention cannot even pay our salaries. For example, in OAUSTECH, our monthly wage bill is N125 million, but the government sends N63 million. The university has to source the remaining N62 million internally, which means most of our Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) is spent on salaries.”
Bamigbola warned that if the government fails to address the concerns before the warning strike elapses, the unions would embark on an indefinite industrial action.
“This 14-day warning strike will end next week. If nothing positive comes out of this, we will have no choice but to proceed on indefinite strike,” he added.
In response, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, Mr Ebenezer Adeniyan, confirmed that the government is not unaware of the issues.
He disclosed that the governor recently met with representatives of the unions and a committee has been set up to look into their grievances.
“The Governor met with their representatives recently and the lingering issues were discussed. A committee was set up to look at those issues and proffer solutions,” Adeniyan said.
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