OAU Workers Protest Over Five-Month Withheld Salaries

Members of the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, staged a protest against the Federal Government over the non-payment of their salaries and arrears, which have been withheld for over five months.

The protesters gathered on campus, holding placards with messages like “We Say No To Unfair Treatment” and “Pay Our Withheld Salaries,” expressing their grievances and vowing not to relent until their payments are made.

The union’s Vice Chairman, Aminu Rotimi, speaking on behalf of the NAAT Chairman, Matthew Oluwaniyi, explained that the salaries were initially withheld following a five-and-a-half-month strike in 2022. Despite negotiations and promises, members had received only one month’s worth of withheld salaries by October, with no further communication from the government regarding the remaining months.

Rotimi highlighted that the government has also failed to fulfill its promise to provide arrears of allowances, including occupational hazard allowances, as stipulated in their 2009 agreement. Additionally, former union secretary Dr. Taoreed Adesiyan raised concerns over the lack of adequate staffing in university laboratories, stating that the workforce shortage has led to overworking existing staff and increasing health risks.

The union’s leaders emphasized that the situation remains critical, with many members under strain due to withheld salaries and unmet commitments and appealed for the government to address these issues urgently.