Ondo Varsity Students Frustrated, As Unions, Govt. Battle Over 7-Month Unpaid Salaries

The Ondo State University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa, has suffered a range of neglect since it was inaugurated for academic activities in 2010 by the Ondo State Government.

Besides the poor attention from its owner, which resulted in substantial infrastructural deficits since its inception, the institution's fortunes dwindled with a dip in government resources occasioned by a drastic fall in federal allocations.

Workers of the one-faculty university had been on strike since May this year, following the inability of the state government to pay employees of the institution.

The last time lecturers and other staff members of the school received their salary was in December 2015, bringing the salary arrears to seven months.

Worse hit by the development are students of the university whose programmes have been delayed by the unending strike.

"We have been home for over two months now, since the strike was called and it means we are going to loose a whole session if the strike is not called off soon," says Aliu Quadri Olawale, a 400 level student of microbiology of the institution.

"It's been two months since students have been sent on force semester break, in which we didn't write the exams.

"The reason was simply because of salary issues, the government is owing the staffs about six months salaries, these prompted the lecturers to all agree on 'no payment, no work."

As a 400 level student, Mr. Olawale is supposed to be on his mid-session internship since June, but having not written his first semester examination, he is not qualified to begin the exercise.

"Since we cannot go on Industrial Training(IT), I am afraid this could lead to an additional year for us in 400 level and also the 500 level students may graduate next year if care is not taken," he lamented.

The institution's students union government had without success called on the government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities(ASUU) to reach a compromise so students could return to class.

Thomas Opeyemi John, the SUG General Secretary, told PREMIUM TIMES that students were helpless, and that their stay at home had become endless.