5th September, 2012
Academic activities were paralysed today at Tai Solarin College of Education, Omu-Ijebu in Odogbolu Local Government Area of Ogun State, southwest Nigeria, as trade unions at the institution locked out the management over non-payment of their salaries and benefits.
The angry union members went round the offices and chased out all the staff members before they went round the town protesting non-payment of over six months salary arrears.
P.M.NEWS gathered that the crisis has been on for over two months but several meetings held between the school’s management and the unions did not yield any result.
One of the executive members of the Academic Staff Union of the institution who does not want his name mentioned, told our correspondent: “We don’t know who is fooling whom. The Commissioner for Education recently said on air that the government is not owing any tertiary institution in the state as all the arrears including those owed by the last administration had been paid.
“But I can confirm to you that we are yet to be paid about six months salary arrears. If we send them out and paralyse academic activities in the college, we will know the truth behind the matter.”
As at the time of filing this report, TASCE workers in over 50 buses ands cars were heading to Nigerian Television Authority, NTA Ijebu Ode to express their dismay over the treatment the management has meted out to them.
The protesters were led by the leaders of the three unions involved in the protest.
The unions are: Non Academic Staff Union, NASU led by its caretaker chairman, comrade Osoba; senior Staff Union of Colleges of Education, SUCOED led by its chairman, Comrade Oropo, and the National Association of Technicians, NAT led by Comrade Adegunwa.
Speaking with our correspondent,the Provost of TASCE, Dr.Abiodun Ojo confirmed that the college has been closed down by the protesting workers over the non-payment of their salary arrears. He said the state Commissioner for Education has been contacted and has promised to be in the school tomorrow to address them, adding “it is true that we have been sent out from the offices. What they are fighting for is genuine but not ready yet.”
—Abiodun Onafuye/Abeokuta