Ekiti State University Students Organized a protest on Thursday 23rd June regarding the failure of the state government to pay their lecturers' salaries of around five months which has resulted to the inability of the institutions to run smoothly.
According to Punch, the lecturers are being owed wages for a period of five months.
The protesting students carried placards showing their dissatisfaction over the situation. Some of the inscriptions read, “He who works deserved to be paid,” “Workers are dying of hunger,” and “NANS say no to taxation of school pupils in Ekiti”.
They accused the state governor, Ayodele Fayose, of not being sincere and concerned about the lecturers, who are currently on strike.
Led by Shina Awopeju, the president of the National Association of Nigerian Students, the protesters lamented about the delayed payment of salaries, stating that it has affected education in the state.
Awopeju said, “If Mr governor refused to pay salaries, we won’t relent in our protest, the protest will continue till next week. National Association of Students in Ekiti state is totally against taxation of students in Ekiti state.”
“Governor Fayose has been saying no money in Ekiti state, he has been shouting everyday, while N1.7b was found in his personal account, and he keeps saying no money in the state.”
The protest was a joint effort by the Ekiti State University students and other institutions in the state.
Olajide Ebenezer, the president of the student union of College of Education, Ikere-Ekiti, also added his opinion concerning the situation.
He said, “He keeps saying he can’t sell his wife and children to pay workers. We implore him to pay and if he refused to pay we shall embark on massive protest by next week.”
