The Joint Action Congress of Ondo State Tertiary Institutions (JAC-ODSTI) has rejected an agreement reached between some unions and the state government regarding the implementation of the federal government/unions agreement. This decision was made public in a statement signed by Tayo Ogungbeni, JAC-ODSTI chairman, and Kunle Akinwonmi, secretary. The statement was released in Okitipupa, Okitipupa Local Government Area of the state, on Tuesday. JAC-ODSTI comprises Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU), and National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) in three state-owned universities.
According to the statement, JAC-ODSTI will resist any attempt by the state government to adopt divide and rule among its members. The unions insist that the ongoing strike will continue until all demands are met. The strike, which began in September, is over unpaid allowances and implementation of agreements reached between the federal government and university and polytechnic unions. The affected institutions include Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA), Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology (OAUSTECH), and University of Medical Sciences (UNIMED).
The state government, led by Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, had reached an agreement with some unions in the state-owned universities to adopt the pay structure and allowances of federal universities. However, JAC-ODSTI lamented that only ASUU of Adekunle Ajasin University Akungba-Akoko (AAUA) attended the meeting with the state government where the agreement was made. The unions emphasized that ASUU cannot negotiate on behalf of other unions in the state-owned tertiary institutions.
JAC-ODSTI expressed concerns that the state government is using divide and rule tactics to break their ranks. The unions vowed to resist any plan by the state government to demoralize their members. They reiterated their demands for the payment of the FGN/Unions Agreement with effect from August 2026 and payment of outstanding arrears from January 2026 till date. The unions also accused the government of not addressing their concerns.
The strike by academic and non-academic unions in Ondo State-owned universities began in August when workers issued a 14-day ultimatum to the government. The ultimatum was over the implementation of agreements reached between the federal government and university and polytechnic unions. The government subsequently approved a N1.1 billion intervention fund for Adekunle Ajasin University to offset outstanding salary arrears owed its workers.
Despite the government's efforts, ASUU maintained that payment of the salary arrears alone would not resolve the dispute. The union insisted on the implementation of the 2025 FGN-ASUU agreement. The prolonged dispute attracted pressure from students, with the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) suspending a planned protest earlier this month after Governor Aiyedatiwa promised to resolve the issues within two weeks.
The government has expressed commitment to engaging stakeholders to ensure that the state's tertiary institutions remain centres of excellence and avoid incessant industrial actions. Governor Aiyedatiwa said the government approved the FGN-ASUU pact for state-owned universities to enable them to compete favourably and for staff to be at par with their counterparts elsewhere. The ASUU chapter of Adekunle Ajasin University commended the governor for approving the federal government-ASUU agreement for the state-owned universities.
Key points
- The Joint Action Congress of Ondo State Tertiary Institutions (JAC-ODSTI) rejects agreement between state government and some unions.
- JAC-ODSTI insists on implementation of federal government/unions agreement.
- The strike by academic and non-academic unions in Ondo State-owned universities continues over unpaid allowances and implementation of agreements.
