ODSG clears salary arrears at Rufus Giwa Polytechnic as Aiyedatiwa promises reforms

The Ondo State Government has declared an end to the era of percentage salary payments in the state, assuring workers of full and prompt payment of salaries across all state-owned tertiary institutions.

Speaking at the combined 12th–23rd convocation ceremony of Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, on Saturday, Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa announced that his administration had cleared 10 of the 13 months’ salary arrears inherited from previous administrations and approved the payment of the remaining three months.

The governor described the era of percentage salary as a “dark and painful chapter” in the state’s history and vowed that such hardship would not return under his leadership. He commended the institution’s management for hosting the first convocation since 2013, noting that the delay was unacceptable and had been promptly addressed.

Aiyedatiwa recalled that upon assuming office, one of the major challenges confronting the polytechnic was the backlog of unpaid salaries. He said the government intervened through Special Intervention Funds and later increased the institution’s monthly subvention effective January 2024, leading to the resumption of full salary payments.

The governor commended the patience of both staff and students, particularly the workers’ unions, for choosing dialogue over strikes while the government addressed the crisis. He also promised to review past administrative injustices to ensure fairness and equity.

Reiterating his administration’s commitment to repositioning education, Aiyedatiwa urged tertiary institutions to focus on producing job creators rather than job seekers. He reaffirmed plans to upgrade Rufus Giwa Polytechnic into a University of Agriculture and Agro-Business, adding that the process was already underway.

He appreciated the Federal Government through TETFund for infrastructural support and called on alumni, corporate organisations, and philanthropists to complement government efforts in improving the institution.

In his remarks, Acting Rector Mr. Olorunwa Adegun praised the governor’s interventions, describing them as a turning point for the polytechnic. He noted that before Aiyedatiwa’s administration, workers were owed 13 months’ salaries, with some receiving as low as five per cent, but the governor’s action restored hope and stability.