21 days to end of Obaseki’s tenure, Poly workers demand unpaid 4 months salaries

Three weeks to the end of Godwin Obaseki’s eight years as governor of Edo State, the joint unions of the Edo State Polytechnic have demanded the payment of four-month salary arrears and other entitlements owed its members by the state government.

Newspot reports that the unions made the demand at a press conference on Wednesday in Benin City.

The chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic (ASUP), Dr Akhere Ekhomun who addressed the press said workers in the institution last received salary in May 2024.

Ekhomun lamented that staff of the institution were paid the May salary on September 9, 2024 “by a state government that is adjudged to be one of the few states in the country that pays salaries to workers on or before the 26th of every month”.

“Recently, the Edo State Government approved N70,000 only as minimum wage for workers.

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“The core civil servants and some tertiary institutions are already enjoying this wage increase to the exclusion of Edo State Polytechnic workers.

“Edo State Government paid a 13th-month salary to all workers towards the end of 2023 to the exclusion of Edo State Polytechnic staff; suffice to state here that Edo State Polytechnic staff have never benefitted from any upward review of salary wages done by Edo State Government,” he said.

Ekhomun also lamented that staff of the institution, established 18 years ago by Chief Lucky Igbinedion’s administration in Ovia South West LGA of the state, are not enjoying pension till date.

“Our unions are aware that the lifespan of this administration under the watch of Mr Godwin Obaseki is gradually winding up.

“In light of the above, members will appreciate if the Governor can use his good office to get the above-raised welfare issues demotivating and dampening the morale of workers at the polytechnic resolved as a gift.

“If his swift intervention meets our expectations, tlhis name will not only be printed with gold in the sands of time but will forever remain indelible in the hearts and minds of all the workers,” he stated.

The press briefing statement was also signed by Shola Iyahen, ASUP secretary and chairman of the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (SSANIP), Erhunwunse. SSANIP secretary, Sylvester Igbinowu, Chairman, of Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU), Samson Idahosa, and the Secretary, Grace Edosomwan.

However, efforts to get the reaction of the state government yielded no result as the Commissioner for Education, Dr Joan Oviawe, failed to pick up her calls. She also failed to respond to message.