2023 Presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, has made an “urgent call” for Staff of Nnamdi Azikiwe University who have not been paid their due salaries following years of employment.
He said, they have worked for five (5) years “without pay”.
The former Governor of Anambra State said, he heard of their “pathetic story” after meeting with a group of teaching and non-teaching staff of the Institution.
He described what they shared with him as “shocking and heartbreaking”, saying, these individuals were duly employed by the University between 2019 to 2020.
Obi said, despite multiple appeals and petitions both inside and outside Nigeria “their situation has remained unchanged.”
He said, these workers of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University have been completely excluded from the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), leading to the disbursement of their lawful earnings impossible.
Obi said: “Five Years Without Pay: An Urgent Call for Justice for Staff of Nnamdi Azikiwe University
“Today, I met with a group of teaching and non-teaching staff of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka and heard their pathetic story. What they shared with me was both shocking and heartbreaking. These are individuals who were duly employed by the university between 2019 and 2020, yet have remained without pay for five years.
“They informed me that despite multiple petitions and appeals — both within Nigeria and to relevant international bodies — their situation has remained unchanged. What they face is not simply delayed salaries, but complete exclusion from the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), which has made the disbursement of their lawful earnings impossible.”
The accounts of these workers are “harrowing”, some have lost their homes after being evicted, others have “suffered broken families, untreated medical conditions, and in some tragic cases, the death of colleagues who could not afford basic healthcare”.
Obi said: “Their accounts are harrowing. Some have lost their homes due to eviction. Others have suffered broken families, untreated medical conditions, and in some tragic cases, the death of colleagues who could not afford basic healthcare. These are not isolated incidents but the consequences of systemic neglect and failure.
“While we continue to lament poor investment in education, here is a clear case where even the most basic obligation to educational workers — the payment of salaries — has not been met.”
He said, this matter is beyond being a “labour issue”, adding, “it is a moral and humanitarian one”.
Obi called on the Federal Government to intervene and bring solution to this problem; he said, “I call on the Federal Government to act swiftly and decisively to resolve this matter”, and ensure these workers are immediately enrolled on the IPPIS platform.
He concluded, “a nation that neglects its educators and university staff undermines its own future.”
Obi said: “This is not just a labour issue; it is a moral and humanitarian one. I call on the Federal Government to act swiftly and decisively to resolve this matter. The affected staff must be immediately enrolled on the IPPIS platform, and all outstanding arrears must be paid without delay. A nation that neglects its educators and university staff undermines its own future. Their dignity, like that of every Nigerian worker, must be protected.”
Replies to Peter Obi
@theboyisgreat wrote: “How are they even surviving .. this is why we have so much corruption in the system.”
@MappingReveals wrote: “Oh mine! How is this even possible? What do they want these lecturers to do?”
@otakerioghenero wrote: “Just is imagining how they are surviving.They should look into it immediately.”
@JudeOgbodo5 wrote: “This is a long story, sir. I hope they realise it on time and leave the job to do something else with their lives, I doubt they will ever be paid.”
