NANS gives Osun govt ultimatum over unpaid salaries

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has threatened to embark on massive protest against the Osun State government for its alleged refusal to negotiate with lecturers in tertiary institutions owned by the state over unpaid salaries.

This is contained in a statement made available to our correspondent in Osogbo, yesterday, by the chairman of NANS Joint Campus Committee, Lukman Adekitan.

The students said they could not continue to keep silent over the issue which had forced them out of schools for many weeks.

The statement reads in part, “In the next seven days the state government must put up measures towards ensuring quick reopening of our campuses otherwise we may be forced to hit the streets again.

“The government must immediately start negotiating with the striking lecturers and Osun State government must show genuine commitment towards funding tertiary education.

“We say no to workers/students victimisation and every form of inhumanity. We also appeal to workers to sheathe their swords and negotiate in the interest of Nigerian students, putting into consideration the present day economic realities.”

The state owes salaries of lecturers and other workers at the Osun State Polytechnic, Iree; Osun State Polytechnic, Esa Oke; College of Education, Ila Orangun, and College of Education, Ilesa.

The Public Relations Officer of Council of Academic Staff Unions of Osun State Owned Tertiary Institutions, Mr. Dotun Omisore, said recently that the state was still owing them more than six months salaries.

Omisore said the state government, apart from owing salaries, had not remitted contributory pension deductions from their salaries to their various pension fund administrators.

Efforts to speak to the Director, Bureau of Communication and Strategy, Office of the Governor, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon, proved abortive.

Calls put across to his telephone were not answered and the text message sent to him was yet to be replied to as at the time of filing in this report.

SEGUN ADEYEMI, Osogbo