Stay At Home Until Govt Pays N35,000 Wage Award, Meet other Obligations, Ondo JAC Tells Varsity Workers

By: Ade Philips

The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of SSANU, NASU and NAAT in the three Ondo state-owned universities – Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba

Akoko, Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa, and University of Medical Sciences, Ondo, will, on Monday, begin indefinite strike.

This is contained in a release co-signed by its Chairman, Comrade Tayo Ogungbeni and Secretary, Comrade Kunle Akinwonmi, and made public on Saturday.

The statement reads, in part: “The said universities shall be embarking on indefinite industrial strike, effective from 12:00 am of Monday, 26th February , 2024 to press home the payment of the #35,000 Wage Award, three tranches of which have been paid to other civil servants in the State.

“Other issues in contention are as follows: Immediate implementation of 2019 National Minimum Wage to OAUSTECH, Okitipupa and UNIMED, Ondo; 100% increment in the statutory subvention to all the state universities; release of capital votes for all the state universities, and bailout for payment of third parties deductions from Cooperative Societies/Check-off dues and payment of the retirement benefits of our retired members.”

The Union noted claimed to have made various unsuccessful efforts to get the authorities to address its complaints before resorting to industrial action.

“JAC has done everything humanly possible to get the state government to address the said complaints, including

meeting with the State Deputy Governor and the Chief of Staff to the Governor as well as doing several letters to the State Governor, the University Pro-Chancellors and the Governing Council of various universities and Managements; all our efforts have since proved abortive.

“This is painful but a necessary decision to take because our members are dying of hunger. In view of the scorching economic situation we found ourselves, it is now difficult for us to transport ourselves to our various offices and our salaries could no longer take us anywhere. It is in the best interest of our state for the Visitor, His Excellency, Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, to use his good office to resolve this issue without further delay.”