Academic activities in five Oyo State-owned tertiary institutions have come to a standstill as workers embark on an indefinite strike over unpaid minimum wages and unresolved salary disputes.
The affected institutions include 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.
The strike, declared by the Joint Action Committee (JAC) on Monday, comes at a critical time—just as first-semester examinations were set to begin at The Polytechnic, Ibadan. Students were left stranded as the gates of the institutions were shut, halting academic and administrative activities.
JAC, which represents about 15 staff unions across the institutions, insists that the industrial action is necessary to push the Oyo State government to fulfill its obligations.
In a statement released to Vanguard, the committee stated:
“After exhausting all avenues for dialogue, the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of Oyo State-Owned Tertiary Institutions has no choice but to commence an indefinite strike from March 10, 2025.”
The unions expressed frustration over the government’s failure to implement a long-approved 25/35% salary increase that has already been enforced in similar institutions since January 2024. They also demanded the full implementation of the new minimum wage for workers in the Polytechnic and College of Education sectors.
With no immediate resolution in sight, students and staff face uncertainty as the standoff between the unions and the government deepens.
