AAUA lecturers threaten fresh strike over delay in new salary implementation

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— N1.1bn Ondo intervention fund yet to reflect in workers’ accounts

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By Dayo Johnson, Akure

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The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA) branch, has threatened to embark on another strike over the Ondo State Government’s failure to implement the new salary structure approved by the Federal Government in December 2025.

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The warning comes as academic activities at the university remain suspended following an indefinite strike by workers that began on July 10, 2026, over unpaid salaries.

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Speaking with journalists in Akungba-Akoko, the Chairman of AAUA ASUU, Comrade Bolu Oshodi, described the salary crisis as “just the beginning,” insisting that the state government must immediately implement the new salary structure, which took effect in January 2026.

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According to Oshodi, federal universities and several state-owned institutions, including Ekiti State University (EKSU), Benue State University (BSU), Osun State University (UNIOSUN), Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) and Kwara State University (KWASU), have already commenced implementation of the new salary package.

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He alleged that the state government continued to release a monthly subvention of N223 million to the university, an amount he said was inadequate to meet its salary obligations.

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“The information available to us is that the July subvention of N223 million has been released again. This amount has never been enough to pay salaries alone because the university’s monthly salary bill is about N550 million,” he said.

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Oshodi explained that the university had consistently supplemented the state government’s allocation with internally generated funds to pay staff salaries.

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“Even if the state government cannot release the full N550 million required for salaries at the moment, nothing stops it from releasing N500 million,” he added.

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He said AAUA, Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology (OAUSTECH) and the University of Medical Sciences (UNIMED) are the only state-owned universities yet to implement the new salary structure.

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The ASUU chairman disclosed that the branch had completed internal procedures for another industrial action and was awaiting approval from the union’s national leadership.

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“If the Ondo State Government fails to implement the 2025 agreement on the new salary structure, we will take action,” he warned.

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The union is also demanding payment of salary arrears dating back to January 2026, noting that the arrears have already been settled in federal universities and some state-owned institutions.

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On the N1.1 billion intervention fund reportedly approved by the state government to offset outstanding salaries, Oshodi said the money had yet to reflect in workers’ accounts.

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“As we speak, the latest information is that the government has released the money to the university, but the university is still waiting for it to reflect in its account. We were told the delay is due to banking processes, but what our members are waiting for are salary alerts,” he said.

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He maintained that the ongoing strike would only be suspended after workers receive their outstanding salaries.

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