The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of Oyo State-Owned Tertiary Institutions has declared an indefinite strike starting Monday, March 10, 2025, over the non-implementation of the approved 25/35% salary increase and the new minimum wage.
The strike affects five state-owned institutions: The Polytechnic, Ibadan; The Oke-Ogun Polytechnic, Saki; Adeseun Ogundoyin Polytechnic, Eruwa; Oyo State College of Agriculture and Technology, Igboora; and Oyo State College of Education, Lanlate.
In a statement signed by JAC Chairman, Dr. Kola Lawal, and Secretary, Comr. Fatai Akeem Abiola, the unions expressed frustration over the prolonged delay in implementing the wage adjustments despite multiple engagements with institution heads, Platinum Consultants, and the Oyo State Commissioner for Education.
The unions previously staged a two-day warning strike on February 6 and 7, 2025, and later granted a final three-day extension on March 5, but no resolution was reached. JAC noted that while federal institutions and some state-owned universities, such as Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) and Emmanuel Alayande University of Education, have implemented the salary increase, their members continue to face financial hardship.
Rising living costs, coupled with career-related expenses such as attending conferences and publishing research papers, have placed additional strain on workers, the unions stated. The situation, they added, is negatively impacting morale and the overall quality of education in the affected institutions.
JAC has called on Governor Seyi Makinde to intervene and ensure the immediate implementation of the new minimum wage, the 25/35% salary increase, and an increase in subventions to the institutions.
The strike will continue until the workers’ demands are met, although the unions have expressed willingness to engage in further negotiations with the government.
