DistantNews
Support us
🇳🇬 Nigeria /Culture & Society

Pay our allowances, angry FUTA workers block VC’s office

From The Punch · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Workers at the Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA) protested the alleged non-payment of their allowances, including the Consolidated Tools Tertiary Institutions Allowance and End Allowances.
  • The non-teaching staff union claims these allowances were approved by the Federal Government and paid to other staff associations but withheld from them.
  • The union has issued a seven-day ultimatum for payment, threatening legal action if their demands are not met, while the university management has promised to resolve the issue amicably.

Protests erupted at the Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA) on Thursday as workers blocked the Vice-Chancellor's office, demanding the payment of their long-awaited allowances. The demonstration, organized by the National Association of Non-Teaching Staff of Nigerian Universities (NANTSUN), FUTA branch, centers on the alleged failure of the university management to disburse allowances approved by the Federal Government.

A very unfortunate issue occurred in FUTA yesterday. A very unfortunate issue that has set a very bad precedent occurred on this campus yesterday, Wednesday, that is removing our names from the payroll in the payment of CONTA and END allowances duly approved for the system by the federal government.

— Adebayo AladerotohunChairman of the FUTA branch of NANTSUN, describing the situation regarding the non-payment of allowances.

According to Adebayo Aladerotohun, the union's Chairman, allowances such as the Consolidated Tools Tertiary Institutions Allowance and End Allowances have been approved by the Federal Government. However, he stated that the university administration selectively paid these allowances to members of other staff associations while excluding his members. This, he claims, is a violation of their letters of appointment, which entitle them to all government-approved allowances.

We just realised that yesterday, they paid and they refused to pay us. So we understand that the university implements government circulars, but they implemented it wrongly. And two, the university is in support of a particular union.

— Adebayo AladerotohunChairman of the FUTA branch of NANTSUN, explaining the union's grievance about selective payment.

The protesting workers chanted solidarity songs and vowed to disrupt activities until their grievances are addressed. Aladerotohun warned that the union would pursue legal action if the management fails to meet their demands within seven days. He accused the university of implementing government circulars incorrectly and showing favoritism towards a particular union.

Yes. We have letters of appointment. Our letters of appointment say that you will be entitled to the approved government allowances. Anytime the government is approving anything for the system, we are entitled. The dictates in our letters of appointment supersede whatever is done under any collective agreement when it comes to implementation. So the management got it wrong by violating our instruments of appointment.

— Adebayo AladerotohunChairman of the FUTA branch of NANTSUN, asserting the union members' entitlement to allowances based on their appointment letters.

FUTA Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Taiwo Amos, urged the workers to remain calm, assuring them that the management is actively reviewing the situation and committed to an amicable resolution. He acknowledged the right of individuals to form unions and stated that the management would not deny anyone their rightful entitlements. The university administration has resolved to meet with the union's executive to discuss the matter further.

We are going to give them a seven-day ultimatum from today, pending which we take legal action against the management.

— Adebayo AladerotohunChairman of the FUTA branch of NANTSUN, stating the union's next course of action if demands are not met.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Punch. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog