Some workers of the Federal University of Technology Akure, Ondo State, on Thursday protested on the institution’s campus over the alleged non-payment of their allowances by the university management.
The workers, under the aegis of the National Association of Non-Teaching Staff of Nigerian Universities, FUTA chapter, alleged that while members of other staff unions had received the allowances, their members were excluded.
Chanting solidarity songs, the protesters marched to the office of the Vice-Chancellor to register their grievances, warning that they would continue the protest and disrupt activities on campus until their allowances were paid.
Speaking during the protest, the union’s chairman, Adebayo Aladerotohun, said the allowances, the Consolidated Tertiary Institutions Tools Allowance and the Earned Allowances — had been approved by the Federal Government but were yet to be paid to members of the association by the university management.
He said, “A very unfortunate issue occurred in FUTA yesterday. A very unfortunate issue that has set a very bad precedent occurred on this campus yesterday, Wednesday, that is removing our names from the payroll in the payment of CONTA and END allowances duly approved for the system by the federal government.
” We just realised that yesterday, they paid and they refused to pay us. So we understand that the university implements government circulars, but they implemented it wrongly. And two, the university is in support of a particular union.
“Yes. We have letters of appointment. Our letters of appointment say that you will be entitled to the approved government allowances. Anytime the government is approving anything for the system, we are entitled. The dictates in our letters of appointment supersede whatever is done under any collective agreement when it comes to implementation. So the management got it wrong by violating our instruments of appointment. ”
The union chairman threatened legal action if the university management failed to address the association’s demands within seven days.
“We are going to give them a seven-day ultimatum from today, pending which we take legal action against the management,” Aladerotohun declared.
Addressing the protesters, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Taiwo Amos, appealed for calm, assuring the workers that the matter would be resolved amicably.
The don said, “It is the right of individuals to form unions and the management is not averse to that. The management will not, at any time, deny anybody what is his or her entitlement. I want that to be put down. The management is looking at the case on the ground, and we are discussing it at the highest level. The management has also resolved to meet with the executive (of the association) again.
“I want to plead with us that we should just give us some moments. We are better off if we sit down to talk. We cannot achieve anything if we are quarrelling. We can see what is happening in sister institutions where there are crises. Where there are crises, there can never be progress. And we are appealing that we should be calm. Immediately, we are able to resolve this. I can bet you it is going to be in your favour.
“Nobody will shortchange anybody because we know that we are all working together for the progress of FUTA,” as he pleaded with the workers to “exercise some moments and give us time to interact with the executive.”
