The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA) chapter, has directed its members to suspend all academic activities over the Ondo State Government’s failure to clear outstanding salaries and arrears.
The directive was contained in a memo jointly signed by the branch Chairperson, Dr. Boluwaji Oshodi, and Secretary, Dr. Olusegun Taiwo, and made available to journalists on Sunday.
According to the union, the decision followed a resolution reached at its congress on Thursday, August 21, where members unanimously agreed to withdraw their services until the state government fulfils its financial obligations.
“By this memo, our members have been directed to withdraw their services from all academic activities in the university until all our outstanding salaries and arrears are paid,” the notice read in part.
The action comes after a 14-day warning strike in June by the Joint Action Committee of Ondo State-owned Tertiary Institutions (ODSTI), of which ASUU-AAUA is a member. That strike, the union said, was driven by prolonged neglect of workers’ welfare despite repeated appeals.
ODSTI had at the time listed several grievances, including inadequate funding, non-implementation of the national minimum wage, unpaid arrears from previous wage regimes, non-payment of the final tranche of wage awards, outstanding gratuities for retirees, and six months of unpaid salaries owed to staff of Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo.
Responding on Sunday, the state Commissioner for Information, Mr. Idowu Ajanaku, said government is committed to resolving the matter. He disclosed that a committee had been constituted to address the issues and had already submitted recommendations.
“A committee was set up to resolve the issue. It has met and recommendations have been made. For the salary arrears, the governor has already directed the university to commence payment. I am confident the matter will be resolved within days,” Ajanaku said.
He added that the government plans to factor the committee’s recommendations into the next budget cycle to ensure sustainable funding for state-owned tertiary institutions
