Lecturers decry continuous neglect of their plights by Oyo government

The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), Oyo State College of
Agriculture and Technology, Igboora, has decried the continued
inability of the governing council of the institution and the Oyo
state government to address the non-payment of salaries of workers in
the institution.

The outcry is coming as the industrial action embarked upon by staff
unions in the institution is clocking four months.

ASUP in a statement signed by its Chairman, Mr Afees Adeniyi, bemoaned
that the issues of non-payment of salary arrears of 17 months, payment
of fractional salaries from January 2016 till July 2018, inadequate
subvention and poor funding are leading to infrastructural deficit in
the institution.

He then urged the state government to utilize the expected final
tranche of Paris Club refund to defray the outstanding arrears as well
as increase subvention given to the institution to 95 per cent to
guarantee regular payment of 100 per cent workers salary and provide
teaching facilities that will ensure students learn in a conducive
environment.

Adeniyi while speaking further called on the gubernatorial candidate
of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2019 elections in
the state, Mr Adebayo Adelabu to prevail on the Governor Abiola
Ajimobi led government to accede to demands of the union.

The institution's management while speaking on the union's demands
urged the striking staff to resume to afford them the opportunity to
look into their demands.

Public Relations Officer of the college, Mrs Opeyemi Olawore, in a
statement said, "We call for understanding on the part of the labour
unions' leadership and members. We also appeal to them to resume back
to duties for the authorities to look into their demands".