Ekiti Tertiary Institutions’ Workers Slam Fayemi over N3.172bn Unpaid Salaries

Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti
Staff members  of the Ekiti State- owned tertiary institutions  under the auspices of Joint Action Committee of Subventing Institutions (JACOSIES), have issued a 24-hour ultimatum to Governor Kayode Fayemi to pay N3.17 billion outstanding subventions or face  industrial dispute.JACOSIES also descended heavily on the Chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress, Mr. Kolapo Olatunde, who is also a member of the body, for allegedly compromising issues relating to the welfare of Ekiti workers.

Addressing journalists in Ado Ekiti, yesterday  the Chairman, Academic Staff Union of Universities, Ekiti State University chapter, Dr. Kayode Arogundade, who spoke on behalf of JACOSIES, said the ultimatum will lapse on Tuesday(today), December 21.

Arogundade, flanked by labour leaders from the affected institutions, pointed out areas of contention with the state government to include: “unending deceit over on monthly statutory allocation, absolute abandonment of subverting institutions on the altar of political mediocrity and constant delay in release of subventions to these institutions.

Others, according to the ASUU leader are: “failure of government to yield to peaceful persuasion, connivance with the NLC leadership to sabotage workers’ efforts on issues of welfare and refusal to defray five months outstanding since subventions”. Expressing deep anger on the sufferings of workers of these institutions, the ASUU boss posited that “succinctly put, we demand that the five months subventions due to all subverting institutions in Ekiti State, amounting to a sum of N3,172,500 be released within 24 hours.

 He expressed sadness that many of their members had suffered death and sickness owing to inabilities to pay their salaries and other statutory benefits due to them. Arigunaded threatened “Any failure on the part of government to accede to this demand will no doubt lead to declaration of unprecedented industrial dispute with the state government and at that stage, we should not be blamed for the forms it may take as well as the consequential effects of such action on our institutions.

  “We consider the unilateral slashing of subventions to Ekiti institutions by Governor Fayemi without consulting the leaderships of the institutions over issues of dwindling finances  as undemocratic.“The monthly allocations to our darling State has since been on the increase. Notwithstanding also the recent N3b monthly bailout being granted to the state, which of course is expected to last for six months and cummulated to  N18b, the Governor has refused to fulfil his promises to these institutions in Ekiti”.

 Arogundade  appealed to traditional rulers, religious leaders and other well meaning indigenes of the state to swiftly interve in the impending impasse, to persuade the governor to change his mindset about poor funding of subventing institutions and prevent their total collapse.

   Accusing NLC under  the leadership of Kolapo Olatunde of laxity and ineptitude, the ASUU boss posited that “the recent romance between the NLC and state government is suspect.  “The NLC in Ekiti  is found of unrepentant suppressing truth and alienating the leaderships of the subventing institutions from Union activities”. The agitators were from Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti, Bamidele Olumilua University of Science and Technology, Ikere Ekiti, Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado Ekiti and Ekiti State College of Health, Sciences and Technology, Ijero Ekiti.