By Adebayo Olodan
Teaching staff of state-owned Colleges of Education in Kwara have threatened to embark on strike action, if the government fails to pay their full salaries.
The lecturers gave the Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed- led administration a 16-day ultimatum to resume prompt and full payment of their salaries, release of accreditation and third quarter intervention funds.
Operating under the auspices of Committee of Union in Tertiary Institutions (CUTI), the lecturers gave the ultimatum in a press release on Monday, jointly signed by the state President, Comrade AbdulKadir Imam and the Secretary, Comrade Lawal Tajudeen Omoluabi.
Contained in the letter, is the lecturer’s complaint of being paid half salary for the past months and request for the payment of 181 per cent salaries backlogs.
“Sequel to the meeting of the Committee of Unions in Tertiary Institutions (CUTI) comprising Kwara State College of Arabic and Islamic Legal Studies (CAILS), Ilorin; Kwara State Colleges of Education, Ilorin; Oro and (Technical) Lafiagi on Thursday 12th of April, 2018, it was unanimously resolved that the Kwara State Government should with immediate effect release the following funds to our various institutions in the state on or before the end of April, 2018 to avoid any possible industrial disharmony.”
“Accreditation funds, the third quarter intervention funds, the payment of 181 per cent salary backlog to College of Education, Ilorin.
“Failure to comply, CUTI will not hesitate to take drastic action that will put on track the government’s responsibilities,” the statement read.
However, when contacted, the Senior Special Assistant to the Kwara State Governor on Media and Communications, Dr Muyideen Akorede denied any knowledge of such ultimatum.
He said, “They know what to do by writing the state government through the office of the Secretary to the State Government or the office of the Head of Service. But as far as I know, we are yet to receive any such notice.
“That aside, the state government under the leadership of Alhaji AbdulFatah Ahmed has been up to date in terms of providing intervention fund to not only colleges of education but all state-owned tertiary institutions. The fund is released quarterly to all the institutions to augment their Internally Generated Revenue (IGR),” Akorede stated.
