OOU lecturers protest non-payment of salary arrears

Lecturers of the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State have protested an alleged non-payment of their 16 months salary arrears by the State Government.

The angry lecturers, under the aegis of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) also lamented an alleged poor funding of the university and the state of infrastructure in the institution, insisting that most of its buildings and laboratories were dilapidated and the university also lack equipment for practicals.

They threatened to embark on an indefinite strike after their Congress scheduled to hold this week.

The Union warned that the proposed strike would be “total, comprehensive and indefinite, it shall remain in force until the State government takes concrete and sustainable steps to address their demands”.

The protesters who began their demonstration at the OOU mini-campus, Ago-Iwoye at about 12 noon took their protest outside the university gate moving in procession along the Ita-Merin-Igan road areas to sensitize the students and residents of the community on their plight and planned strike action.

Armed with placards and a large banner, the lecturers chanted solidarity songs, condemning the attitude of the State government towards the institution as well as their welfare.
Inscriptions on some of the placards read, “Governor Amosun should properly fund OOU. It is a statutory responsibility,

‘Funding OOU should be made a first line charge. It is the first among equals’, ‘Depending on IGR to fund OOU is an act of gross irresponsibility on the part of government.”

The Chairman of the OOU branch of ASUU, Dr. Deji Agboola who addressed the protesting lecturers and journalists, said that the lecturers were being constrained to consider going on an indefinite strike because the government had ignored two ultimatums they earlier issued concerning their grievances.

The OOU, ASUU chairman noted that the anomaly in the payment of their monthly salaries had led to a situation where it had become impossible for many of the lecturers to meet their financial obligations to their families.