Aggrieved workers of the Ondo State-owned Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko (AAUA), have issued a 14-day ultimatum to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa to settle their outstanding arrears and emoluments or face industrial action.
The warning followed a congress of the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) and the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT), held on Monday on the university campus.
The workers, led by the chairman of SSANU, AAUA chapter, Olutayo Ogungbeni; the chairman of NASU, Clement Abiodun Ekundayo; and the chairman of NAAT, Johnson Fagbemi, accused the state government of allegedly refusing to pay several years of unpaid entitlements.
They explained that the funds owed to them by the government of Mr Aiyedatiwa also included arrears arising from the implementation of the national minimum wage and other agreed benefits.
In a communiqué issued after the congress, the aggrieved workers listed their demands to include the implementation of the recommendations of the Career Structure Committee; payment of outstanding gratuity arrears of retired members; and settlement of third-party deductions such as cooperative contributions, Wema Bank loans and union check-off dues.
The workers added that other demands include the payment of five years’ outstanding excess workload arrears (2015–2019); promotion arrears for 2022–2024; 54 months of arrears from the 2019 national minimum wage; 18 months’ arrears from the 25/35 per cent salary increment; and outstanding entitlements of re-absorbed staff.
The communiqué stated further, “That henceforth, all the outstanding arrears as identified above should be paid with immediate effect.
“That failure to meet up with the demand for payment of our arrears within fourteen (14) days shall lead to industrial crisis in the University.
“That the Ondo State Government, the University Governing Council and the Management should note the above for further necessary action,”
The workers, however, warned that they would not hesitate to shut down activities at the institution if their demands were not met within the stipulated period.
When contacted, the state commissioner for education, science and technology, Igbekele Ajibefun, told Peoples Gazette that the government would dialogue with the university workers.
Mr Ajibefun, who highlighted the various efforts being undertaken by the current administration of Mr Aiyedatiwa to ensure quality education and the welfare of university workers in the state, assured that steps were already being taken to engage the angry workers with a view to resolving the crisis.