RUGIPO Staff Decry ₦18,000 Wage, Unpaid Salaries as Ondo Polytechnic Crisis Deepens!
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RUGIPO Staff Decry ₦18,000 Wage, Unpaid Salaries as Ondo Polytechnic Crisis Deepens!
Reported by Marian Opeyemi Fasesan, Editor-in-Chief | Sele Media Africa.
Staff members of Rufus Giwa Polytechnic in Owo, Ondo State, have accused the state government of paying workers as little as ₦18,000 monthly—far below the nationally approved minimum wage—while also owing months of salary arrears, intensifying financial hardship among employees.
Under the aegis of campus labour unions, workers recently staged protests and warning strikes, lamenting what they described as exclusion from the implementation of the new national minimum wage approved by the Federal Government in 2024. Union leaders said the continued payment of the outdated ₦18,000 wage has left many employees struggling to survive amid rising living costs.
“We are living from hand to mouth,” some workers declared during demonstrations, as staff gathered at the institution’s main gate to demand immediate intervention from the state authorities. Protesters carried placards and chanted solidarity songs, insisting that their salaries remain far below what other categories of state workers now receive.
According to union representatives, the situation is compounded by unpaid salary arrears, with workers alleging they are owed several months’ wages. Labour leaders warned that failure to address the issue could lead to prolonged industrial action and further disruption of academic activities.
Academic unions have also appealed to the Ondo State Government to increase funding allocations to the polytechnic to enable full implementation of the new wage structure and settle outstanding salary adjustments. They noted that while the institution’s budget has improved, it remains insufficient to meet wage obligations.
The wage dispute is the latest in a series of labour crises at the institution. Over the past year, workers have repeatedly protested unpaid salaries and delays in implementing minimum wage adjustments, highlighting longstanding welfare concerns at the state-owned polytechnic.
Although the Ondo State Government previously approved the payment of some salary arrears and pledged reforms at the institution, workers insist that core issues—particularly wage implementation—remain unresolved.
Labour leaders say urgent action is needed to restore staff morale and stabilize academic operations, warning that continued neglect could undermine the institution’s educational mandate and workforce stability.
Sources
TVC News
The Punch
Channels Television
Western Post
Vanguard
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