Ondo Tertiary Institution Workers Demand Minimum Wage, Welfare Packages Or Total Shut Down
Workers across state-owned tertiary institutions in Ondo State have issued a warning to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, demanding the immediate implementation of the national minimum wage and other outstanding welfare packages, or face a total shutdown of all institutions.
The Joint Action Committee (JAC) representing various unions including the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU), and the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) 1 voiced their grievances in a press briefing held in Akure on
According to the unions leaders, their members are currently facing severe economic hardship due to the non-implementation of the minimum wage, which has been implemented for other state workers. They lamented the rising cost of living and the inadequacy of their current salaries to meet basic needs, stating that many workers are “dying of hunger.”
“We have been patient, we have engaged in dialogue, and we have written several letters to the government, all to no avail,” stated Comrade [Insert Name and Title of Key Union Leader]. “Our members can no longer bear this. We go to the same market as other workers in the state, yet we are treated differently.”
The unions are also demanding the payment of outstanding wage awards and a significant increase in the statutory subvention allocated to the institutions to address other welfare issues and improve the overall standard of education.
“The current subvention is grossly inadequate to cater for the needs of our institutions,” another union leader, [Insert Name and Title], explained. “We are appealing to Governor Aiyedatiwa to prioritize the welfare of workers in the tertiary education sector to avoid a situation where we are forced to take drastic measures.”
The JAC has given the Ondo State government a [Specify Deadline, if mentioned in original source] ultimatum to address their demands. They warned that failure to do so will result in an indefinite industrial action, which will halt all academic and administrative activities in the state’s universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education.
This ultimatum comes at a critical time for the state’s tertiary institutions, as any prolonged strike could disrupt the academic calendar and negatively impact students. It remains to be seen how Governor Aiyedatiwa will respond to these demands and avert a potential crisis in the education sector.
