Varsity workers protest non-remittance of N1.8b Coops deductions

From Victor Akinkuolie, Ado-Ekiti
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Organised workers union of Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti (EKSU) on Tuesday staged a protest against the management of the institution over non-remittance of  11 months’ deductions  from their monthly salary to cooperative societies.

The protesters    comprised academic and non-academic staff were members of various cooperative societies in the institution.

The protesters who moved from the institution’s administrative block at about 8:10 am proceeded to the campus gate to express their grievances.

They  carried various placards with different inscriptions  among which are “Enough is Enough,  Pay our 11 months’ salaries, “No more half salaries”,  and “O to ge, pay our outstanding salaries,” among others.

Addressing journalists during the protest, the President of Academic Staff Union of University Cooperative Society, Prof. Awe Ariyo alleged that a deduction totaling  N1.8 billion was not remitted to the cooperative societies’ account,  making it difficult to access  loan.

Ariyo said the management of the institution has no regard for workers’ welfare, saying life has been difficult in the last three years.

He said non-payment of the deducted cooperative money had put the workers in shame as many of them, who depend on it, have had to deny themselves of some basic necessities of life when they could not meet  their financial obligations.

“They have turned us   paupers. And all our colleagues that are not  members of  cooperative  societies collect full salaries. Is it a sin to be frugal and send something aside to build a house, pay children’s  school fees and buy a car?

“The problem we are having is that they are pretending to the government  that they are  paying full salary.

“Government gives them N260 million subvention whereas the wage bill is over N500 million. Instead of giving the true picture of how the wage bill rose to that level  they are pretending as if they are paying full salary.

“The Governing Council decided to have a meeting with us,  but if the proposal is not acceptable, we would move enmasse to the Government House to express our grievances”.

Also speaking, the Secretary of the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities, Mr. Aguda Azeez  alleged  that the workers were unbearably suffering while the management was  enriching their pockets unfettered.

” Fayemi should cross-examine  the activities of the council since they  were  inaugurated, whether it has been productive or otherwise”, Aguda said.

When contacted for reaction, the Public Relations Officer, Bode Olofinmuagun said the Governing Council was  in a meeting to find a lasting solution to the issues as at the time of filing this report.