Academic activities at Ebonyi State College of Education, Ikwo, have been brought to a halt following a one-week warning strike by lecturers of the institution shutting down lectures, halting examinations, and other academic activities.
The strike action which began on Monday is contained in a statement signed by Dr Ama Nnachi, chairperson of the College of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU), Ebonyi College of Education, Ikwo chapter and made available to journalists on Tuesday in Abakaliki.
The industrial action by the lecturers followed the expiration of 14-day and 7-day ultimatums earlier issued to the State Government and the institution’s management over what the union described as years of neglect and poor conditions of service.
The union was demanding for the implementation of the 2024 salary structure, payment of living wages and settlement of pensions and gratuities owed to retired staff.
“We are on strike because the 2024 salary structure has not been implemented; this is 2026 and nothing has been done,” Nnachi said.
According to him, lecturers are still being paid under an outdated structure tied to the ₦18,000 minimum wage introduced over a decade ago.
“As we speak, some staff who have worked for 20 to 22 years earn less than ₦30,000 in today’s Nigeria, with a litre of fuel above ₦1,500 how do they survive?” he asked.
He added that the situation has become life-threatening for many staff.
“Our members are dying almost on a daily basis because of hardship. This is no longer just about salaries; it is about survival,” he said.
The union further decried the non-payment of pensions and gratuities, describing the fate of retired staff as heartbreaking.
“You work for 35 years and go home with nothing; no pension, no gratuity. It is not supposed to be so,” he said.
He warned that failure to address the issues after the warning strike would trigger an indefinite industrial action.
Meanwhile, a union member who spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymity reinforced the concerns, stressing that the government had failed in its most basic responsibility.
“All the infrastructure in the institution is funded by external interventions; the only duty of the government is to pay salaries, and that is not being done,” the source said.
The crisis has equally exposed the plight of retirees, many of whom said that they have been abandoned after years of service.
Mr Celestine Oke, a retired lecturer said that after retiring from service many years ago that he was yet to receive pension nor his gratuity.
“I retired in 2022 and till today I have not received my pension nor gratuity; I survive from hand to mouth,” Okey said.
Another retiree, Samuel Uwalaka, described the situation as unbearable.
“We are suffering. Our colleagues elsewhere have been paid, but we have been left behind. Government should come to our rescue,” he said.
However, the management of the institution in reaction, said that steps had been taken to address the issues.
The provost of the college, Prof. Benedict Mbam, confirmed that the union was demanding implementation of the 2024 salary structure approved by the Salaries and Wages Commission.
“They are pressing for the implementation of the 2024 salary structure and we have communicated this to the state government.
“As soon as we hear from the governor, I believe the matter will be addressed. The government is responsible for their salaries,” he said.
Mbam expressed optimism that the impasse would soon be resolved once the state government responded.
He also dismissed claims that students were abandoned on campus, explaining that management had directed them to proceed on a one-week Easter break.
“Students were asked to go on Easter break. Those still around are only confused due to the situation,” he said.
Our correspondent reports that the strike has disrupted academic plans, particularly for students who were scheduled to sit for examinations before the Easter break. ENDS//
