Workers at the Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology (OAUSTECH), Okitipupa, Ondo State, have commenced a total and indefinite strike, effective from midnight on Wednesday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the workers, carrying placards, staged a peaceful protest at the institution’s main entrance over the non-implementation of the 60 per cent subvention increase and agreement.
Some inscriptions on the placards read: ‘Enough of Fake Promise Aiyedatiwa’, ‘FGN/Union agreement supposed to begin in January 2026’, “Where is the N1.2 billion for completion of Science building you promised years ago” among others.
The unions include the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU) and National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT).
Mr Bobola Bamigbola, Chairman, Joint Action Congress (JAC) of the institution, told journalists on Wednesday, that the strike was necessary to register their grievances over government’s refusal to implement the widely publicised 60 per cent subvention.
Bamigbola added that the state government had agreed to pay backlog of the subvention and other agreements from January but reneged on its promise.
According to him, the state government invited all Vice Chancellors, Bursars and Registrars of Ondo State Tertiary Institutions (ODSTI) to a meeting, where it promised the 60 per cent monthly subvention increase.
“The old wage bill of N63 million was supposed to end by July, but it is the same thing we saw in August; as we’re expecting N179.2 million which was even supposed to be paid from January.
“We have no choice but to embark on a protest and a total and indefinite strike from 12 midnight today until all our demands and other agreements are met,” Bamigbola said.
NAN also reports that SSANU, NASU and NAAT under the aegis of JAC-ODSTI) had on Tuesday, directed its members in all institutions to embark on an indefinite strike from 12 midnight on Wednesday.
The directive was contained in a communique jointly signed by JAC-ODSTI President ,Tayo Ogungbeni and Secretary, Kunle Akinwonmi.
It protested the non-implementation of the Federal Government agreement and 60 percent subvention from January after the lapse of the 14-day ultimatum.
The affected institutions are: OAUSTECH, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA) and University of Medical Science (UNIMED), Ondo. (NAN)
