The workers of polytechnics and colleges of education in Oyo State have threatened to embark on an indefinite strike from February 6, 2025, following the continued delay in implementing the approved minimum wage for the institutions by the Oyo State governor, Seyi Makinde.
The Chairman, Joint Action Committee, Dr Kola Lawal, made this known in a release issued on Sunday and made available to reporters in Ibadan, the state capital.
Lawal said that the delay in implementing the policy is an apparent neglect of the workers’ welfare and an outright failure to uphold the state government’s good intentions. The government has taken proactive steps to ensure that workers are adequately remunerated.
The Oyo State JAC chairman added that the development had placed undue financial strain on workers expected to deliver quality education under increasingly difficult conditions.
He said that despite the state government’s increased subsidy to universities, polytechnics and colleges of education to ensure the smooth implementation of the new minimum wage for workers in the state’s institutions of higher learning, the institutions’ management has failed to implement the payment of the new minimum wage as expected.
He described the development as unacceptable, mainly because other institutions had been paid the new wage except for workers in the polytechnics and colleges of education.
The statement reads, “The workers of polytechnics and colleges of education in Oyo State wish to bring to the public’s attention the continued delay in the implementation of the approved minimum wage for our institutions, despite the commendable efforts of His Excellency, Governor ‘Seyi Makinde to improve workers’ welfare in the state.
“Furthermore, to ensure smooth implementation, the state government increased subsidies to institutions, including universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education, for the purpose of implementing the new minimum wage for workers in these institutions to be paid accordingly.
“However, despite these provisions, the management of our institutions has failed to implement the payment of the new minimum wage as expected. Notably, other institutions, such as LAUTECH and Emmanuel Alayande University of Education, Oyo, which received the same percentage increase in subvention at the same time, immediately implemented the new minimum wage for January 2025.
“Unfortunately, workers in polytechnics and colleges of education in Oyo State have not received the same treatment, even though the funds meant for this purpose have been made available.
“This failure has further worsened workers’ financial hardships, especially in the face of rising inflation and economic challenges.
“We view this development as a clan apparently of our welfare and an outright failure to uphold the good intentions of the state government, which had taken proactive steps to ensure that workers are adequately remunerated.
“It is unacceptable that while other institutions enjoy the new minimum wage, workers in our polytechnics and colleges of education are left behind despite being equally deserving.
“In light of this, we demand the immediate implementation of the new minimum wage for January 2025, as approved by the Governor, and insist that salaries from February 2025 onward reflect the new wage structure without further delay.
“The delay in implementing this policy has placed undue financial strain on workers expected to deliver quality education under increasingly difficult conditions.
We wish to state categorically that should the balance of the minimum wage table not be paid by Wednesday, February 5, 2025, workers across polytechnics and colleges of education in Oyo State will withdraw their services indefinitely starting from Thursday, February 6, 2025.
“This industrial action will be total and comprehensive until the issue is resolved. We hope those responsible for implementing the Governor’s directive will act swiftly to prevent disruptions in academic activities and ensure that workers receive their rightful wages. We remain committed to our duties but will not continue to watch in silence as our rights and entitlements are ignored.
“We call on all relevant authorities, stakeholders, and well-meaning individuals to intervene and ensure that this issue is resolved immediately in the interest of industrial harmony, the welfare of workers, and the progress of education in Oyo State.”
Read the full article here
