"Oyo State Tertiary Institutions Embark on Indefinite Strike Over Unmet Demands"

"Oyo State Tertiary Institutions Embark on Indefinite Strike Over Unmet Demands"

The Polytechnic Ibadan, along with four other tertiary institutions in Oyo State, embarked on an indefinite strike on Monday, March 10, 2025. The strike was declared by the Joint Action Committee (JAC), comprising 15 staff unions, to press for their demands, including the implementation of the new minimum wage and an increase in subvention released for the institutions.

The affected institutions include:

- The Polytechnic, Ibadan

- The Oke-Ogun Polytechnic, Saki

- Adeseun Ogundoyin Polytechnic, Eruwa

- Oyo State College of Agriculture and Technology, Igboora

- Oyo State College of Education, Lanlate

The strike is a result of the state government's failure to address the longstanding issues of non-implementation of the approved 25/35% salary increase and the new minimum wage for workers in the polytechnic and college of education sector.

According to the Chairman of the JAC, the staff unions had engaged in a series of meetings with the state government to resolve the issues, but to no avail. He stated that the strike would continue until the government meets their demands.

In a related development, the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Polytechnics (SSANIP) had earlier suspended a three-day warning strike after a meeting with the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, where the government reaffirmed its commitment to resolving SSANIP's grievances.

However, it's worth noting that The Polytechnic Ibadan had previously denied rumors of a strike in May 2021, stating that they had reached an amicable resolution with the state government.

The indefinite strike has disrupted academic activities in the affected institutions, leaving students uncertain about their academic future. The state government has yet to comment on the strike.