The Ondo State chapter of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities in Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, have condemned the proposed status upgrade, by the Ondo State Government, of the Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, into a university.
The Guardian reported that the Chairman of the association, Tayo Ogungbeni, made this known on Friday, noting that even the current universities are underfunded.
According to him, four years after the new national minimum wage was adopted in Nigeria, none of the tertiary institutions in the state have implemented it for their employees, instead, members of staff are being owed salaries of up to 10 months.
He said, “We are entering the New Year with arrears of salaries ranging between four and 10 months in Ondo State tertiary institutions.
“Almost four years after the implementation of the New National Minimum Wage in Nigeria, none of the tertiary institutions in Ondo State has implemented it for its workforce. Are we not part of Nigeria anymore?”
“Underfunding is the hallmark of all the tertiary institutions in Ondo State, comprising three state-owned universities and a polytechnic, yet, the establishment of a fourth university is almost a done deal.
“Is our problem establishment of universities or improving the funding of the existing ones? Our governor should help the existing universities to compete favourably with other sisters’ universities worldwide.
“At the federal level, government is doing everything humanly possible to ‘kill’ public universities because government officials can conveniently send their wards to private universities and even abroad! Why will a reasonable government that failed in its responsibilities punished the workers with no-work, no-pay? It is unfortunate that university education is sitting on gunpowder.
“Only government can guarantee a stable academic calendar for public universities in the New Year. Since various unions in Nigerian universities suspended their strike, re-negotiation has also stopped! Our political leaders do not want the children of the masses to have a better future.
“Failure of the Federal Government to pay all the withheld salaries of our members cannot guarantee stable calendar. Do not allow the students to witness another episode in 2023.
“We as SSANU members love peace and will do everything possible to maintain peace but the only antidote to peace in Nigerian universities is adequate funding.”
