Members of the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT), Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State branch, yesterday protested non-payment of their withheld salaries and areas of academic allowances by the Federal Government.
The protesters converged on the front of the university bookshop, carrying a banner to express their grievances. They said Federal Government reneged on their 2009 agreement.
The protesters carried placards with inscriptions such as “We Say No To Unfair Treatment”, ‘’Broken Promise, Broken Trust, Respect Our 2009 Agreement”, “We Deserve Better”, “Pay Our Withheld Salaries.”
Addressing reporters, the Chairman, Comrade Mathew Oluwaniyi, said the salaries of members of the union were withheld by the Federal Government for going on strike for five and a half months in 2022.
Oluwaniyi, represented by his deputy, Aminu Rotimi, said members only received one month of the withheld salaries last month by the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration.
He said: “We are here to show our grievances with the Federal Government on the way our union is being treated. In 2022, the university-based unions went on strike. Our union was on strike for five and a half months, and the Federal Government withheld our salary for those months.
“Last week, we received alert of what looks like the payment of one of our five and a half months withheld salaries, and up till now, the Federal Government has not communicated with us.’’
Former secretary of the union in OAU, Dr Taoreed Adesiyan, lamented shortage of workers in university laboratories across the country.”
