The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, Rufus Giwa Polytechnic chapter in Owo, Ondo State, has resolved to continue its ongoing industrial action over the non-implementation of the approved new minimum wage and the accumulation of salary arrears owed to its members.
The union made this known in a communiqué issued after an emergency congress held on March 5, 2026, at the Adekunle Ajasin Auditorium of Rufus Giwa Polytechnic.
According to the communiqué, the congress was convened to deliberate on the appeal by the Senior Special Adviser to the governor on Union Matters and Special Duties, Comrade Bola Taiwo, who requested that the union suspend the strike for two weeks to allow further negotiations.
The congress also considered the plea by the Olowo of Owo, Ajibade Gbadegesin Ogunoye III, who appealed to the union to temporarily suspend the strike to pave the way for further dialogue.
However, the union said it resolved that the industrial action would continue, stressing that previous engagements with relevant stakeholders had failed to yield concrete results.
The communiqué stated that the industrial action was embarked upon as a last resort after prolonged and unresolved engagements with both the state government and the management of the institution.
“The Congress re-affirmed that the industrial action was embarked upon as a last resort after unresolved and prolonged engagements, several memoranda, meetings with stakeholders within and outside the state and repeated assurances from the Government and Management, all of which have consistently failed to translate into concrete action,” the union said.
ASUP also expressed concern over what it described as the deliberate non-implementation of the approved new minimum wage and other outstanding salary arrears owed to staff of the institution.
“The Congress observed with dismay the deliberate non-implementation of the new minimum wage and other outstanding salary arrears to the staff of RUGIPO, which have imposed acute financial hardship and psychological strain on members who have continued to render their normal academic services to the institution despite the hardship,” the communiqué read.
The union further noted that previous appeals for patience and suspension of industrial action had not produced any meaningful outcome due to what it described as lack of sincerity and commitment from the relevant authorities.
“The Congress noted that previous appeals for patience and suspension of industrial actions have not yielded any fruitful outcome, arising from insincerity and lack of commitment on the part of relevant authorities,” it added.
ASUP also rejected the proposal to suspend the strike for two weeks without verifiable financial commitments from the authorities.
“The Congress therefore resolved that suspending the strike for a period of two weeks without concrete or verifiable financial commitments would further prolong the excruciating suffering of members of staff and weaken the collective resolve of the union,” the statement added.
The communiqué recalled that the Governor of Ondo State, Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, had earlier approved the payment of the salary arrears and publicly announced it on October 25, 2025, during the institution’s last convocation ceremony held at the Polytechnic Sports Complex.
Despite the announcement, the union said the payments had yet to be implemented, a development it said had worsened the financial condition of its members.
ASUP, however, appreciated the interventions of individuals and groups who had shown concern and appealed to the state government to address the challenges confronting the institution.
The union also assured members and the general public that the industrial action was not intended to undermine the integrity of the institution or the state government but rather to ensure justice for staff.
“The union wishes to assure members and the general public that the industrial action is not intended to undermine the integrity of the institution or the state but rather to ensure justice for staff whose welfare remains indispensable to the survival and progress of the polytechnic,” the communiqué stated.
ASUP therefore urged its members to remain steadfast in the struggle and await further directives from the union’s congress.
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