EKSU Workers Issue Ultimatum Amidst Salary Woes

In a tense development at Ekiti State University, (EKSU) Ado Ekiti, the Joint Action Committee JAC III, representing the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT), and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU), has issued a stern ultimatum to the university management. The ultimatum demands the payment of three months’ overdue salaries and additional benefits within 48 hours to avert potential industrial unrest.

Expressing their frustration at a joint congress held on the university premises, the workers, represented by SSANU Chairman Comrade Temidayo Azeez Aguda, highlighted the Governor’s recent statement confirming no outstanding debts to subvented institutions, including EKSU. The workers find it perplexing that despite this assurance, the university management has failed to disburse salaries since October of the preceding year. Aguda emphasized the adverse impact of this non-payment on the staff, causing severe hardships and difficulties. The ultimatum, if unheeded, threatens an imminent strike by the aggrieved workers.

NASU and NAAT Chapters Demand Action

In a tumultuous turn of events, employees of Ekiti State University (EKSU) are staging a protest due to the non-payment of salaries for the past three months. Chairman of the EKSU chapter of the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU), Mr. Sunday Olajutemu, emphasized the urgency of the protest, shedding light on the financial struggles faced by the staff. According to Olajutemu, the governor clarified during the inaugural Meet Your Governor event that the state government had not defaulted on its subvention to the university but rather was addressing an outstanding subvention from August 2018.

This revelation has triggered unrest among the workforce, prompting concerns about their financial well-being and the responsibilities they bear in the current economic climate. The employees, through their solidarity protest, are demanding swift action to resolve the salary dispute, emphasizing their right to timely compensation for their dedicated services.

NAAT Chairman Speaks Out: Salary Delays Impacting Lives: (EKSU)

The Chairman of the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) at EKSU, Comrade Adeosun O. Mary, expressed the profound impact of salary delays on the lives of the university staff. Mary highlighted that the last salary received was in October, and the management had conveyed that the subvention was pending, only for the governor to later confirm its disbursement. Mary stressed the importance of salary payments as the workers navigate the challenges of the present economy, where a dollar is valued at N1,550. With families to support and children’s education to fund, the delayed salaries pose a significant burden on the university staff.

Asking pertinent questions about their worthiness of fair compensation for their duties, Mary urged Governor Biodun Oyebanji to intervene and address the financial distress faced by the university employees. The protest, marked by solidarity songs, underscores the collective plea for immediate resolution, emphasizing the need for transparency regarding the allocation and utilization of funds meant for the university. The workers await action and answers regarding the whereabouts of the funds allocated by the governor to the institution.

Governor’s Assurance Contradicts Unsettling Salary Crisis

The workers’ ultimatum comes in the wake of Governor Biodun Oyebanji’s weekend confirmation that there are no outstanding payments owed to subvented institutions, with EKSU presumably included. This revelation sharpens the contrast between the governor’s assurance and the lingering salary crisis at the university. The discrepancy raises questions about the financial management within the institution and the accountability of the university’s leadership.

The workers, grappling with the burden of unpaid salaries since October, are left with no choice but to escalate their demands for financial rectitude. Comrade Aguda’s emphasis on the workers’ hardships underlines the urgency of the situation, amplifying the need for a swift resolution. As the 48-hour ultimatum ticks away, the specter of a potential strike looms large, posing a significant threat to the academic and administrative activities at Ekiti State University (EKSU). The unfolding events will undoubtedly shape the future dynamics between the workers and the university management.