BREAKING: Aiyedatiwa approves N1.1bn to clear AAUA salary arrears

By Boye Oyeyemi

Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has approved the release of N1.1 billion as a special intervention fund to clear outstanding salary arrears owed to workers of the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, in a move aimed at ending the industrial dispute that has disrupted academic activities at the institution.

The approval, announced on Wednesday by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Prince Ebenezer Adeniyan, is expected to pave the way for the payment of the backlog of salaries and facilitate the reopening of the university.

The governor also directed the Ondo State Ministry of Finance and the management of the university to ensure the immediate release and disbursement of the funds to the affected workers without delay.

Aiyedatiwa appealed to the university unions to call off the ongoing strike and resume work, stressing that the intervention was made in the interest of students and the continued development of the institution.

“The intervention is specifically to offset outstanding salary arrears owed to staff of the institution and to bring an end to the ongoing industrial dispute in the institution,” the statement read.

“The Governor has directed the Ministry of Finance and the university management to ensure prompt release and disbursement of the funds, and has called on the unions to suspend the strike and return to work in the interest of our students and the development of the institution,” it added.

The government said the intervention reflected the administration’s commitment to improving education and prioritising the welfare of workers across the state, particularly in the tertiary education sector.

According to the statement, the governor believes that a motivated workforce remains essential to building a globally competitive university capable of meeting the demands of 21st-century education.