A group of Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK) staff staged a protest on Wednesday, calling attention to their five-year-long ordeal of unpaid salaries.
The protesters, clad in black attire, marched around the university campus, chanting slogans and displaying placards that highlighted their plight. They lamented their dire situation, exacerbated by the country’s economic hardships.
Mr. JK Ibezim, a staff member from the Department of Chemical Engineering, spoke on behalf of the protesters. He revealed that the university had failed to pay their salaries since their employment in 2019 and 2020. He expressed deep concern over the loss of seven colleagues this year, attributing their deaths to the immense suffering caused by the unpaid salaries.
Ibezim warned that if their demands were not met, they would escalate their protest to Abuja. Other protesters, including Mr. Chinedu Nwune, Mrs. Queensly Asu, and Mr. Daniel Nzubechi, shared similar harrowing experiences of financial hardship and neglect.
In response, Professor Joseph Ikechebelu, the Acting Vice Chancellor of UNIZIK, acknowledged the protesters’ concerns and assured them that the university management was working diligently to resolve the issue. He explained that the payment process was contingent on budget office approval and other bureaucratic procedures.
Ikechebelu further stated that he would be in Abuja the following day to prioritize the matter and expedite a solution.
