Ondo poly workers begin strike over unpaid salaries

Workers at the Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, in Ondo State on Tuesday embarked on an indefinite strike over the non-payment of salaries by the Ondo State Government.

The striking workers, who are members of the Non-Academic Staff Union and the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Polytechnics, staged a peaceful protest on the institution’s campus to express their grievances.

The aggrieved staff revealed they are being owed six months’ salaries and accused the government of failing to implement the national minimum wage.

They carried placards with messages including, “We are hungry, pay our six months’ salaries,” “Mr Governor, please implement our 2025 budget,” and “Acting Rector, please clear our 2022, 2023, and 2024 promotion arrears.”

During the protest, the Chairman of NASU, RUGIPO chapter, Mr. Julius Olugbenga-Aro, and his SSANIP counterpart, Mr. Saka Olokungboye, called on Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa to urgently address the workers’ demands.

They lamented the hardship faced by their members, saying many are unable to meet basic needs due to the unpaid wages.

Olugbenga-Aro stated, “This protest is to express our frustration over the non-payment of six months’ salary arrears and the failure of the Ondo State Government to implement the national minimum wage for polytechnic staff.”

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While acknowledging some of the governor’s developmental efforts at the institution, including the recent approval for the polytechnic’s conversion to a university, the union leaders appealed for more urgent actions.

They urged the state government to approve immediate payment of the outstanding salaries, ensure full implementation of the 2025 institutional budget, and begin payment of the new national minimum wage.

They also warned that failure to act swiftly could result in prolonged disruptions to the academic calendar, further affecting students and the institution at large.