There was temporary gridlock this morning 9th July, 2024 along UI-Ojoo road in Ibadan Oyo state capital as Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, and Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities, NASU, University of Ibadan Chapter protested to press home their demands.
The protest was in demonstration of the non-payment of four months withheld salaries by the Federal Government.
Some of the placards had inscriptions such as “release our withheld salaries” and release our 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 promotion arrears”.
Vice-chairman SSANU, University of Ibadan Chapter, Comrade Olutola Olubiyi, said the protest is long overdue.
“We have been agitating for the withheld salaries since the month of March. We went on one week strike in March but unfortunately they have refused to pay and this has brought us to this point”.
Comrade Olubiyi who expressed sadness that the situation caused by the insensitivity of the federal government to the plight of the union members has been worsened by the current economic situation in the country.
“The agitation is very high and ASUU has been paid four months out of the seven months owed. Why leave non-teaching staff out? We are asking them now to pay us our own four months”.
Comrade Olubiyi noted that the outcome of today’s protest will determine if the National protest slated for July 18 in Abuja will hold.
“The outcome of this protest will determine whether Abuja protest will hold or not. If the federal government does the needful there will be no protest on the 18th”.
Speaking on the demands of the union, Chairman Non-Academic Staff Union, UI chapter, Comrade Ogunlade Oluwafemi Michael, said the protest was as a result of the four months withheld salary.
“They’ve denied us this salary since 2020 and all efforts to get this money paid have proved abortive. All we have recieved are empty promises and nothing has been done”
“We are the people working in the university and nobody is in the office, we are the people that lock the office, open lecture theatres and computate results. Without us nothing can work in the university”.
He urged the government to address the demands and implement a living minimum wage that eases the economic burden of Nigerian workers.
The one-day protest is in compliance with the directive by the Joint Action Committe of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities for all members to stage a nationwide protest across all state chapters.
The salaries were withheld when the administration of former president Buhari invoked the “no work no pay” policy during a prolonged strike action in 2022.
