Oyo tertiary institutions’ unions issue 14-day ultimatum over unpaid arrears
By Adejayan Gbenga
The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of labour unions in Oyo State-owned tertiary institutions has issued a 14-day ultimatum to the institutions’ governing councils and managements over unpaid allowances, salary arrears, inadequate funding and staff shortages.
The ultimatum, which commenced on October 8, is expected to expire on October 28, 2026. The unions warned that failure to address their demands within the stipulated period could lead to further lawful industrial action.
In a statement dated October 19, the committee said the decision followed deliberations at its meeting held on October 7 at Michael Adeniyi Koleoso Polytechnic, Saki. The statement was signed by the JAC Chairman, Dr. Kola Lawal, and its Secretary, Comrade Akeem Fatai.
The committee demanded the immediate implementation of the Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance (CATA) for academic staff and the Consolidated Non-Teaching Tools Allowance (CONTTA) for non-teaching staff, in line with applicable agreements, with effect from January 2026.
The unions also demanded payment of outstanding arrears arising from the 25 per cent and 35 per cent salary increases covering January to December 2024. They said the Oyo State Government implemented the increases in January 2025, while the Federal Government and several other states had paid arrears dating back to January 2024.
The JAC further called for the full implementation of 100 per cent government subvention, noting that inadequate funding had forced the institutions to rely on internally generated revenue to supplement recurrent expenditure. According to the committee, this had limited their ability to meet statutory obligations.
In addition, the unions urged the government to recruit more academic, technical, administrative and support staff to address manpower shortages. They warned that the shortages had increased workloads and could undermine teaching, research, administration and regulatory compliance. The committee also recalled that some of the unresolved issues contributed to the industrial action embarked upon by workers in February 2025, which was later suspended in the interest of industrial harmony and dialogue.
Reaffirming its commitment to peaceful engagement, the JAC urged the governing councils, institutional managements and the Oyo State Government to resolve the issues before the October 28 deadline. It warned that failure to reach a satisfactory agreement would compel the unions to review the situation and consider further lawful industrial action to protect workers’ welfare and safeguard the quality of tertiary education in the state.
