Title: “Nigerian university workers protest non-payment of minimum wage since 2019”
Introduction :
Nigerian university employees can’t take it anymore. Since 2019, they have been demanding payment of the minimum wage of 30,000 naira, but their demands have gone unheeded. Faced with this injustice, the staff of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), the Non-Teaching Staff Unions and Allied Educational Institutions (NASU) and the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) have decided to take action. A demonstration was organized to denounce this unacceptable situation.
Legitimate complaints:
University staff deplore the blatant non-compliance with the minimum wage for two years. The placards held up during the demonstration were unequivocal: “We are workers, not slaves”, “No discrimination in the payment of wages”, “We have not received the minimum wage since 2019”, “Ayedatiwa, release our subsidy.” The employees are exasperated by this injustice and demand that their rights be respected.
A visible mobilization:
The demonstration was well attended, with solidarity chants and a barricade formed on the Okitipupa-Igbokoda highway, causing major traffic jams. The main door of the institution was closed symbolically to show the impact of this protest. Unions joined forces to form the Joint Action Congress (JAC) and put forward their common demands.
Legitimate expectations:
JAC President Temidayo Temola stressed at a press conference that this protest is being carried out in concert with other tertiary institutions in the state. He said non-payment of the minimum wage is a glaring injustice and called on the government to take prompt action to address the situation. University employees deserve to be recognized and compensated fairly.
Conclusion :
It is time the Nigerian government listened to the legitimate demands of university staff. Respect for the minimum wage is a fundamental right and must not be neglected. University employees have demonstrated a strong and united mobilization and hope that their voices will finally be heard. There is an urgent need for concrete steps to end this injustice and give Nigerian academic workers the remuneration they deserve.