“Ondo Polytechnic Lecturers Demand 11 Months’ Unpaid Salaries: A Cry for Justice”

Pay Ondo Polytechnic lecturers 11 months salaries enough is enough
Pay Ondo Polytechnic lecturers 11 months salaries enough is enough

Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, located in Owo, Ondo State, has become the battleground for a grueling campaign against injustice as the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) raises its voice to demand 11 months of unpaid salaries. The situation, described as an untenable hardship, has pushed the lecturers to the brink, rendering them unable to fulfill their duties on empty stomachs.

Chairman of the Ondo State chapter of ASUP, Comrade Ade Arikawe, minced no words as he addressed the media during a press conference held on the school’s campus. The sheer weight of the unrelenting financial strain faced by the academic staff has reached an intolerable crescendo, compelling them to assert their rights with unyielding determination.

Expressing the sheer anguish of the lecturers, Arikawe revealed that the irregular disbursement of salaries had plagued the institution for over seven years, with previous attempts to resolve the issue yielding no fruit. The lecturers, burdened by the weight of financial uncertainty, have valiantly continued to discharge their duties, enduring the pangs of hunger in pursuit of their commitment to education. Arikawe laid bare the distressing reality faced by the lecturers, underscoring the immense toll the situation has taken on their lives and well-being.

The unwavering resolve of the ASUP’s members has paved the way for an ultimatum: no resolution, no examinations. The lecturers have stood in unwavering solidarity, echoing a singular demand – the payment of their long-overdue salary arrears. With an accumulated debt surpassing N6 billion in unpaid salaries, promotion benefits, and other financial dues, the situation has become an insurmountable burden, casting a pall of uncertainty over the future.

The plight of the institution, compounded by a glaring deficit in infrastructure, equipment, and teaching aids, reflects a distressing reality that underscores the dire consequences of the prolonged financial turmoil. Arikawe further attributed the persistent delays in salary disbursement to the continual decrease in government subvention since the tenure of former Governor Olusegun Mimiko, exacerbating the plight of the lecturers.

The knock-on effects of the unpaid salaries have reverberated through the lives of the lecturers, leading to untimely deaths, avoidable ill health, broken marriages, and an array of harrowing living conditions. Arikawe shone a spotlight on the human cost of the protracted financial neglect, laying bare the far-reaching implications that have left a trail of devastation in its wake.

Amidst the tumultuous terrain of financial distress, the ASUP voiced its vehement opposition to the proposed conversion of the polytechnic to a university, condemning the exclusion of ASUP from the decision-making process. Arikawe adamantly demanded that qualified ASUP members be given the opportunity to transition to the proposed university, echoing a sentiment of inclusivity and fairness.

As the lecturers stand at the intersection of adversity and resilience, their unified voice pierces through the veil of neglect and apathy, championing a cause that resonates with the fundamental principles of justice and equity. The unfolding narrative at Rufus Giwa Polytechnic serves as a stirring call to action, a compelling testament to the unwavering spirit of those who dare to challenge the status quo in pursuit of a brighter tomorrow.

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