OAU workers protest 5-month withheld salaries, allowances

Members of the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, rallied on campus Wednesday in a peaceful protest over withheld salaries and unpaid allowances, calling out the Federal Government for what they described as a continued breach of trust.

With slogans written on placards, the protesters voiced their discontent with what they see as neglect and disregard for their welfare, as they have not received salaries for over five months.

The root of the protest, they explained, goes back to an agreement signed with the government in 2009, which promised specific allowances and benefits for the technologists. These commitments, they allege, have yet to be honored in full, creating a lasting friction between the government and university technologists nationwide.

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Union representatives highlighted the toll these delays have taken on members who rely on their monthly income and allowances for sustenance. Speaking to journalists, Mr. Aminu Rotimi, the vice chairman of the OAU NAAT, explained that the Federal Government withheld their salaries following a five-and-a-half-month strike in 2022, a decision he criticized as punitive and unfair to workers simply pressing for their rights.

Rotimi added that NAAT members will continue their demonstrations until their withheld salaries are paid and their demands met. “We’ve been patient for too long. This protest is a reminder to the government that commitments made should be commitments kept,” he said.

The technologists’ protest reflects a broader pattern of unrest across Nigeria’s educational sector, where staff unions and technologists alike have taken a stand against unmet agreements and unfulfilled promises.

As NAAT members remain steadfast in their pursuit of what they consider fair compensation, they are calling on the government to reopen dialogue and ensure that the spirit of the 2009 agreement is honored.