Members of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Polytechnics (SSANIP) at Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo (RUGIPO), protested on Wednesday over the non-payment of their ten months’ salary.
The protesters, who blocked the institution’s main gate, disrupted academic activities and demanded the implementation of the £35,000 wage award for the polytechnic’s staff.
They stated that other categories of civil servants have been paid the wage award for the month of November and called on the state government to pay all the outstanding salaries of their members.
Speaking, the Chairman of SSANIP, Comrade Nafiu Okoro, said the irregularities of salary payment in the institution were worrisome, noting that the state government has been delaying payments.
“All non-teaching staff, comprising NASU and SSANIP, agreed that the government should pay all our outstanding salaries running to over 10 months.
“And that £35,000 being paid to workers as palliatives in Ondo State should be extended to institutions.”
He, however, said the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic (ASUP) of the institution would down tools and boycott the conduct of the forthcoming examination if their 11 months’ salary arrears are not paid.
The workers lamented the hardship caused by the non-payment of their salaries, saying they could no longer endure the hardship to discharge their duties without being paid.
Also speaking, the Chairman of RUPIGO ASUP, Comrade Ade Arikawe, said the lecturers only received a salary for February and part-payment for March 2023.
The spokesman for the institution, Mr Samuel Ojo, confirmed that all categories of workers were being owed salaries and said the workers were owed over 11 months’ salary, as alleged by ASUP.
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