Ondo Governor Releases ₦1.1bn for University Lecturers, Urges Them to Resume Work

To end the strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko (AAUA), the Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has announced ₦1.1 billion to pay the lecturers’ outstanding salaries.

ASUU started a new strike on 10 July to demand unpaid salaries and to push for the implementation of agreed terms.

The union claims its members are owed three months' salaries: May, June, and July.

In a statement on Wednesday, the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Ebenezer Adeniyan, said the ₦1.1 billion “Special Intervention Fund” was approved for the university.

“The intervention is specifically to offset outstanding salary arrears owed to staff of the institution and to bring an end to the ongoing industrial dispute in the institution,” the statement said.

“The governor has directed the Ministry of Finance and the University Management to ensure prompt release and disbursement of the funds. He has called on the unions to suspend the strike and return to work in the interest of our students and the development of the institution.

“This move shows that the Aiyedatiwa administration believes a motivated workforce is key to building a modern university that can compete globally.”

But the union said just paying the salaries is not enough.

They want the Ondo State Government to also implement the 2025 Federal Government/ASUU agreement.

The AAUA ASUU Chairman, Boluwaji Oshodi, said even though they heard that Governor Aiyedatiwa released funds, they will only suspend the strike once members receive their salary alerts.

He stated, “The government has not spoken to us directly, but it has discussed with the university management. The information reaching us is that the governor has released some money to the university management to offset the salaries.”

The university, in a statement on Monday by the Deputy Registrar, Information, Protocol and Public Relations, Sola Imoru, noted that Mr. Aiyedatiwa had approved a special intervention fund to help the school meet its financial obligations.

However, Mr. Oshodi made it clear that ASUU will not trust the government's promises until the outstanding salaries are actually paid.

The lecturers had been on strike for four months starting in August last year over unpaid salaries. The dispute ended in November after they reached an agreement with the state government.