The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of Ondo State-Owned Tertiary Institutions is warming up for an industrial unrest, as it has issued a fresh 7-day ultimatum to the State Government over its failure to implement new minimum wage plan for its members, including its poor funding through inability of the state govetnment to implement the 2025 approved budgetary allocations to tertiary institutions in the state.
According to a letter, jointly signed by JAC Chairman, Comrade A. Olutayo Ogungbeni and Secretary, Comrade Kunle Akinwonmi, the unions highlighted several unresolved issues, including non-payment of the 2024 National Minimum Wage, non-release of withheld subventions since 2017, outstanding salary arrears of over 54 months, and the continued payment of the outdated N18,000 minimum wage at Rufus Giwa Polytechnic.
In the letter addressed to Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa and dated April 27, 2025, the committee which comprises labour unions, expressed deep concern over what it described as the government’s persistent neglect of financial responsibilities to the state’s four tertiary institutions, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko; Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa; University of Medical Sciences, Ondo; and Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo.
JAC condemned what it described as “government propaganda” on subvention increments and cited Ekiti State’s recent 300% increase in allocations as a benchmark the oil-producing Ondo State should follow.
According to them, efforts to resolve the matter through official channels, including appeals to the Governor’s Special Adviser on Union Matters and Special duties, have allegedly failed.
The JAC cautioned that failure to meet its demands within 7 days would lead to a total shutdown of all four institutions, a move that could disrupt academic activities and further impact students.
