Oyo State Polytechnic, College Staff Set to Strike Over Minimum Wage

The staff of polytechnics and colleges of education in Oyo State have announced their intention to initiate an indefinite strike starting February 6, 2025, due to the ongoing delay in implementing Governor Seyi Makinde’s approved minimum wage. 

Dr. Kola Lawal, the Chairman of the Joint Action Committee, shared this information in a statement released on Sunday, which was made available to journalists in Ibadan, the state capital. 

Lawal expressed that the delay in enacting the policy signifies a clear disregard for the welfare of the workers and a failure to honor the state government’s positive intentions. He noted that the government had taken steps to ensure fair compensation for the workers. 

The Oyo State JAC chairman further emphasized that this situation has imposed significant financial burdens on workers expected to provide quality education under increasingly challenging circumstances. 

He pointed out that while the state government has increased subsidies for universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education to facilitate the new minimum wage implementation, the management of these institutions has not fulfilled the payment as anticipated. 

Lawal deemed this situation unacceptable, especially since other institutions have received the new wage, leaving out the workers in polytechnics and colleges of education. 

The statement concluded, “The workers of polytechnics and colleges of education in Oyo State want to highlight the ongoing delay in implementing the approved minimum wage for our institutions, despite Governor Seyi Makinde’s commendable efforts to enhance workers’ welfare in the state.”

“Furthermore, to ensure smooth implementation, the state government increased subsidies to institutions, including universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education, for the purpose of implementing the new minimum wage for workers in these institutions to be paid accordingly.

“However, despite these provisions, the management of our institutions has failed to implement the payment of the new minimum wage as expected. Notably, other institutions, such as LAUTECH and Emmanuel Alayande University of Education, Oyo, which received the same percentage increase in subvention at the same time, immediately implemented the new minimum wage for January 2025.

“Unfortunately, workers in polytechnics and colleges of education in Oyo State have not received the same treatment, even though the funds meant for this purpose have been made available.

“This failure has further worsened workers’ financial hardships, especially in the face of rising inflation and economic challenges.

“We view this development as a clan apparently of our welfare and an outright failure to uphold the good intentions of the state government, which had taken proactive steps to ensure that workers are adequately remunerated.

“It is unacceptable that while other institutions enjoy the new minimum wage, workers in our polytechnics and colleges of education are left behind despite being equally deserving.

“In light of this, we demand the immediate implementation of the new minimum wage for January 2025, as approved by the Governor, and insist that salaries from February 2025 onward reflect the new wage structure without further delay.

“The delay in implementing this policy has placed undue financial strain on workers expected to deliver quality education under increasingly difficult conditions.

We wish to state categorically that should the balance of the minimum wage table not be paid by Wednesday, February 5, 2025, workers across polytechnics and colleges of education in Oyo State will withdraw their services indefinitely starting from Thursday, February 6, 2025.

“This industrial action will be total and comprehensive until the issue is resolved. We hope those responsible for implementing the Governor’s directive will act swiftly to prevent disruptions in academic activities and ensure that workers receive their rightful wages. We remain committed to our duties but will not continue to watch in silence as our rights and entitlements are ignored.

“We call on all relevant authorities, stakeholders, and well-meaning individuals to intervene and ensure that this issue is resolved immediately in the interest of industrial harmony, the welfare of workers, and the progress of education in Oyo State.”