By SULEIMAN SHEHU

Members of staff of the Institute of Agricultural Research and Training (IAR&T), Obafemi Awolowo University, Moore Plantation, Ibadan, on Wednesday, protested their unpaid December 2024 and January salaries.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports the workers staged the protest at the institute’s premises, carrying placards with different inscriptions and singing solidarity songs.

Mr Agbaje Michael, Chairman, Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU), IAR&T Branch, said the workers had to express their displeasure over the non-payment of their two months’ salaries.

Michael said the management had given no tangible reason for the non-payment and what they had been hearing was that the institute’s wallet had not been funded.

“What the management is saying is that there is an outright omission; we don’t want to know any technicality involved.

“What we are concerned about is that payment should be made without any delay.

“The management said they have written but what we want is the result.

“Our December 2024 and January salaries should be paid alongside other owed allowances and arrears that are still pending,” he said.

He said the IAR&T was one of the institutes removed from IPPIS alongside the universities.

Mr Osadiya Adewumi, Chairman, Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU), IAR&T, Ibadan Branch, said workers had been walking to work because of the situation.

Adewumi said that a lot of them were currently finding it difficult to feed, buy drugs, and pay house rent as well as the school fees of their children.

He, therefore, called on the management of the institute to follow up on the issue in Abuja.

Also, NASU NEC member, Mr Emmanuel Oluwafemi, said the institute’s workers were still being owed their 25 and 35 per cent increment and arrears of promotion for one year.

Meanwhile, the institute’s Director, Prof. Veronica Obatolu, called for calm, saying she shared the pains and frustration of the staff.

Obatolu, however, said the management had done everything possible to ensure payment.

“The Federal Government and the Ministry of Finance are aware, and they promise they are working on it and they will get it,” she said. (NAN)