Ondo Gov’s intervention Halts Strike By Tertiary Institutions

By Ayodele Oni

Following the intervention by Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, the Joint Action Committee, (JAC) of the state owned tertiary institutions has agreed to suspend the proposed strike, scheduled to commence on Monday.

Chairman of the committee, Tayo Ogungbemi, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday in Akure.

According to him, in view of the above development, the leadership of the JAC-ODSTI resolves to suspend the proposed 3-Day Warning Strike slated for between 5th-7th May, 2025 in order to give the State Governor the ample opportunity to implement the agreement reached with JAC-ODSTI.

“However, if the Government fails to implement these agreements by 1st June, 2025, JAC-ODSTI will have no other option than to embark on an indefinite strike without any further notice.

JAC had demanded among others, immediate implementation of the approved 2025 Budgetary Allocations to all the State Tertiary institutions, implementation of the 2024 National Minimum Wage to all the staff in the state owned institutions.

“Release of the January, 2017 withheld monthly subvention to all the institutions,

Payment of outstanding Arrears of over four and half years (54 months) arrears of the 2019 National Minimum Wage and 18 months arrears of 25%/35% Salary adjustment as well as 7 months salary arrears to staff of Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo.

“Dissolution of the existing Governing Councils in all the institutions, re-opening of the main gate of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko and Payment of accumulated pensions and gratuities of our retired members.

The Governor, during the meeting with the union leaders, reiterated his commitment to funding of the various institutions but emphasized that it was not possible to implement the budget 100 percent. He assured that the monthly subvention of the state owned tertiary institutions would be increased but not 100 percent as approved in the 2025 budget.

Other resolutions: “The Governor declared that the implementation of the 2024 National Minimum Wage is sacrosanct for all the workers of the state owned tertiary institutions. He promised to meet with the Management of all the state owned institutions in the next two weeks to resolve the issue permanently.

“The Governor promised to investigate if it is true that the January, 2017 monthly subventions were not released to the tertiary institutions in the state and if true, he promised to release them with a proviso that the money should be used to pay all the outstanding arrears owed the staff in the various institutions.

“The Governor reiterated his commitment to upgrade Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo to a University of Agriculture. He said that he has approved the financial request for the payment of three out of their six months outstanding salaries while the remaining three months will be paid before the end of the year.

“On the issue of Re-opening of the Maingate of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, the Governor said that it was his intention to re-open the gate as promised to JAC-ODSTI last year, but Akungba Community and the Vice Chancellor of the University were not in support of re-opening.

“On the request for the dissolution of the existing Governing Councils in all the tertiary institutions in the State, the Governor pleaded with JAC-ODSTI to allow the present members of the Governing Council to finish their tenure since they have less than one year to spend in the office.

“He also directed JAC-ODSTI to forward list of prominent indigenes of Ondo State that could be appointed as members of the Governing Councils to him for necessary consideration.

“On payment of Pensions and Gratuities to retired staff, the Governor said that it is the duties of the various Management to ensure that the retirees are paid their entitlements and that they should clear the outstanding ones gradually just as it is being done in the state presently.”

According to him, gratuities of retired workers from the state had been paid up to 2015.

“The Governor claimed ignorance of not paying the last tranche of the Wage award as agreed with JAC-ODSTI in May, 2024. He said that he gave approval for payment of 6 months wage award and he didn’t know that payment was not completed for the workers of the various tertiary institutions in the state. He therefore promised to ensure that the last tranche of the wage awards be paid to complete the 6 months as expected.”