Unpaid Salaries: LAUTECH Lecturers Embark on Strike

On Wednesday, clinical lecturers at Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) in Ogbomoso began an indefinite strike because they were not paid according to the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure.
The LAUTECH Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria’s secretary, Abraham Akinbola, and chairman, Ruth Ilori, issued a statement confirming the strike action.
The instructors explained that this step was made after a 21-day ultimatum to the university management expired without the salary structure being fully implemented.

After the ultimatum, the authorities failed to comply with our demands, hence the action was required. Only South-West universities have not complied with the payment structure, which has resulted in medical education failures and brain drain, the statement said.

The academics warned that if their requests are not met, medical education in the nation may become even more unstable. They urged pertinent parties to act immediately.

But last week, the Edo State Government denied allegations that a crisis in the councils was causing local government employees to be unpaid.

Fred Itua, the Chief news Secretary to Governor Monday Okpebholo, called the rumors “false, mischievous, and meant to mislead the public” in a news release on Monday.

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He told Edo citizens to disregard the rumors, blaming them on thugs jealous of the achievements the administration of Governor Monday Okpebholo has made since taking office in November 2024.

Itua reiterated that no government employee, including those employed by local governments, is entitled to a pay, reaffirming the state government’s dedication to workers’ welfare.

He underlined that all payments, including the one from January 2025, had been made in full.

The administration said it has paid local government employees consistently, even if the ongoing legal struggle between the state and some struggling local government chairs has made allocation payments difficult.