The University of Ibadan (UI) non-teaching staff staged a peaceful protest on Tuesday, demanding their unpaid entitlements from the Nigerian Government.
The protest, led by Comrade Oluwafemi Michael Ogunlade, chairman of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU), and Abiodun Rasaq Omisore, chairman of the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU), took place at the university’s main entrance.
They blocked the UI-Sango Road for one hour, disrupting vehicular movement. Ogunlade warned that a protest would occur in Abuja if the Nigerian Government did not respond to their demands.
He said, “You know, in the Federal Universities, we have the non-teaching union and the teaching union. NASU, SSANU and ASUU. ASUU are the lecturers, while NASU and SSANU are the non-teaching staff.
“But what we discovered was that the Federal Government paid ASUU. I don’t have anything against ASUU. We are all working here (UI).
“But our grievances are against the Government because it is not ASUU that paid themselves; it is the Federal Government that paid them.
“And we embarked on the same strike and even suspended our strike before them. Our strike was four months, while their strike was eight months.
“If they fail to honour this agreement, we will go to Abuja on July 18, 2024, for a national protest.”