From Kayode Olabanji, Okitipupa

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Members of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU) and Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU) chapters of the Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology (OAUSTECH), Okitipupa, joined in the nationwide protest declared by their national bodies on Tuesday.

The national bodies of NASU and SSANU had directed its branches nationwide to go on nationwide protest to draw attention to their grievances.

The grievances which include alleged non-payment of four months withheld salaries by the Federal Government.

They also resolved to hold a national protest on July 18 in Abuja, after which both unions said it would meet to announce a date for the commencement of national strike action.

In compliance with the directives of their national bodies, members of unions embarked on a demonstration on the institution’s campus singing solidarity songs and carried placards with various inscriptions.

Some of the placards read “We work for our salaries, FG pay us; Stop discriminating against Us, Saboteurs release backlog of Salaries Now; Tinubu, sack saboteurs in your government,” among others.

Addressing the protesters, Mr Temidayo Temola, Chairman, SSANU, OAUSTECH’s chapter, said the protest was to let the public know that the workers were unhappy at the treatment meted to its members by the federal government.

According to him, our position on this protest is that we demand immediate payment of the four months withheld salaries of Federal University workers.

“We demand implementation of all agreements reached with the leadership of the unions as Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and actions renegotiation of 2009 agreements with the unions.

“We also demand immediate removal of the Minister of Education and Minister of Labour.

“The duo are saboteur under whose watch Education and Labour are now languishing on forlorn hope unlike the “Renewed Hope” promised by President Bola Tinubu.” Temola said.