Staff of the Oyo State College of Agriculture and Technology, Igboora, have commenced an indefinite strike to protest the persistent delay and fractional payment of salaries, despite an increase in government subvention and internally generated revenue.
The industrial action, which began on July 1, was declared jointly by the three major staff unions in the institution: the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Polytechnics (SSANIP), and the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU).
In a statement made available to journalists on Thursday, union leaders Comrade Tiamiyu M.B. (ASUP), Comrade Oyediran S.O. (SSANIP), and Comrade Tajudeen Adeyemo (NASU) expressed disappointment over the Management’s failure to resolve the issue, despite repeated appeals.
According to the unions, the latest trigger for the strike was a management memo citing its inability to augment the subvention received from the Oyo State Government to ensure full salary payments. This, the staff said, has left them with no choice but to down tools.
The statement highlighted that even after a 25% increment in the institution’s monthly subvention since January 2025, and a reported upward review of internally generated revenue, staff continue to suffer financial hardship due to irregular salary payments.
“We are increasingly worried that the same fate awaits us as the 25th day of the month the expected payday for July salaries approaches,” the union leaders stated.
“It is disheartening that among all the tertiary institutions in Oyo State, only our college continues to face this consistent challenge.”
They called on Governor Seyi Makinde to urgently intervene in what they described as a “dire and demoralising financial situation,” urging a further upward review of the monthly subvention to enable the institution meet its obligations.
The strike has brought all academic and administrative activities in the college to a halt, with staff insisting that the action will continue until their demands are met.
They also decried the disparity between rising school fees for new students and the unchanged financial welfare of staff. “We are no longer willing to continue in this situation,” the statement read. “The government must act to rescue the institution and its workforce from total collapse.”
As of the time of this report, the Management of the institution is yet to issue an official response to the strike action.
