By Adeyinka Adeniran
Academic and other activities were paralysed at the University of Ibadan on Monday as members of the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities, (SSANU) and Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational (NASU) UI Chapter joined their counterparts in other state of the Federation to declare a total strike over non-payment of their four months withheld salaries, among others.
Although, the entrance gates of the University were opened, when The Nation visited, it was observed that many early birds who reported for duty did not attend to any official matters.
Lecture halls were also observed locked as some students were seen walking around in few numbers.
When contacted, UI SSANU Chairman, Comrade Abiodun Omisore said the Union’s National body gave the directives, after all efforts to get Federal Government’s attention and negotiations have failed.
Omisore said “Since 2023 to date, we have had so many dialogues, so many deadlines, so many protests. We have shown so much of understanding with government. We have had so many press conferences just to press on my demands.
“And to pay our outstandingly salaries, government never did that. Let me tell you that as of July 2024, we were in Abuja. We were there to take a matter to Abuja again. And perhaps drop a letter with government and let them know that we are actually not finding it funny. But already at this time when the economy is in bad shape obviously.
“So we took a matter to Abuja. And we were harrassed by the police. We were treated badly by those who supported us. But luckily we had the sympathy of NLC who took our matter to the presidency. And our matter was actually discussed at the very floor where the issue of minimum wage was being discussed. That was when NLC was going to wrap up the issue of minimum wage.
“And the presidency gave a directive. Go and pay these people’s internal salaries. And the minister of education, the minister of government, they listened to the minister. They came out and they provided a different version of what NLC said to the public. They will never mind whether it is two months or former government. But then the question is, since July, to date, we have not been paid.
“Who does that? Particularly having given government that kind of understanding. Dialogues. Dialogues. We are not happy. We are not the kind of people that we want to go into. But the question is, what do we do again? The only thing that we have done in the circumstances is that we have not carried arms against government.
“So the only truth that we have at our disposal is to go and strike. That is the only language that they understand. We must do it. We must use it. And that is exactly what is happening now. We must get our salaries. We worked for it.
“The strike is total. It is endless. It is an indefinite strike. We are ready to go to war. What is it that we need to suffer that we have not suffered before? Even those who take their salaries every month, are they having it good in this economy? What is it that we need to go through as a people that we have not gone through? The economy is in bad shape already. And to now remove four months out of people’s salaries at this point in time, it is killing. It is unacceptable.”
On his part, NASU Chairman, Comrade Oluwafemi Ogunlade who highlighted the Unions’ demands, said there will be no going back on the industrial action, unless government meet their demands.
He said “Our demand is, number one, the government should release and pay us a four-month withheld salaries. And the government has been promising to sign a lot of MOU, MOA, MO anything. And up to this moment, the government has not paid, despite the fact that they pay other and part of our sister union.
“But to this minute, they have not paid us. So government should release our money. Not only that, the 2009 agreement is meant to be renewed every five years, But up to this moment, nothing has been done. So we are still in 2009, even in 2024. All these are some out of many things that we have been agitating for and asking the government.
“Poor funding of the university, a lot of things. Our earned allowance, 50 billion, earn allowance. Government did not do anything. They were only promising us, and we are tired of these fake promises. And we have done a lot of things.
“Our national leadership gave them a lot of ultimatums. Three months, two months, three weeks, two weeks, a week. And nothing is done. So this is the only option left for you. I don’t even think we need any dialogue. Because I can’t say the number of dialogues that we have made with the government.
“Because that is the only language that government understands. It’s the only language they understand. We have exhausted every means, everything that we need to do. So for any government who loves its subjects, I don’t expect us to get to this level.”
He said the workers will not only shun works, they will also not report for duty until the government do the needful.
