The Joint Action Committee (JAC) representing staff unions of Ondo State-owned tertiary institutions has issued a 14-day warning ultimatum to the state government, led by Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, over what it described as persistent neglect and failure to implement critical welfare demands, including the national minimum wage.
In a statement jointly signed by the Chairman, Olutayo Ogungbeni, and Secretary, Kunle Akinwonmi, the committee expressed deep dissatisfaction with the state government’s handling of staff welfare and institutional funding.
The statement, released on Wednesday in Akure, warned that the institutions would be shut down if their grievances are not addressed within the stipulated time.
JAC comprises members of four key unions: the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU), the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT), and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Polytechnics (SSANIP).
These unions operate across the four state-owned institutions: Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko; Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa; University of Medical Sciences, Ondo; and Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo.
Among the issues raised by JAC are the non-payment of the new minimum wage, unpaid accumulated salary arrears, six months’ outstanding salaries, and the long-overdue gratuities of retired staff members.
The unions accused the state government of playing politics with the lives of workers and students, and of failing to prioritise the tertiary education sector.
“Having realised that the state government is playing politics with our lives and the lives of our children in all the state-owned institutions, we are left with no other option but to declare a 14-day warning strike, effective from 12:00 midnight of Thursday, June 19, 2025,” the statement read.
The statement emphasised that the strike action would be total, with no allowances for any member to engage in official duties throughout the duration of the strike. “Any of our members found at work during this period will be regarded as saboteurs and dealt with accordingly,” it warned.
JAC revealed that this was not the first time the unions had issued an ultimatum to the state government. On June 2, a similar seven-day ultimatum was given, urging the government to address their demands. However, those pleas went unheeded, prompting the current escalated action.
According to the union leaders, several efforts were made to reach an amicable resolution. “We wrote numerous letters and even held a meeting with the governor on May 1, 2025. During the meeting, the governor made promises to address our grievances, but none of those promises have been fulfilled,” they lamented.
The committee appealed to stakeholders across the state—including political leaders, traditional rulers, and religious figures—to intervene urgently to avert a total breakdown of academic activities in the state’s higher institutions.
In response to the threat, the spokesperson to Governor Aiyedatiwa, Prince Ebenezer Adeniyan, confirmed that the government was actively reviewing the concerns raised by the unions. He noted that the Office of the Head of Service is handling the matter.
“While some of the issues appear to be internal, the government is addressing the concerns about the minimum wage. The Head of Service is working on it,” Adeniyan said.
He further explained that the governor had previously approved two increases in subventions to the institutions, in addition to their internally generated revenue (IGR).
Despite the assurances, the unions maintain that unless their demands are met promptly, the looming industrial action could severely disrupt academic activities across all state-owned tertiary institutions in Ondo State.