By SULEIMAN SHEHU

Employees of the Institute of Agricultural Research and Training (IAR&T), Ibadan, on Monday, embarked on a protest to demand the payment of their December 2024 salary.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the workers locked the entrance gate of the institute preventing any vehicle from gaining access to the institute’s premises.

Speaking to NAN, Mr Michael Agbaje, Chairman of the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU), IAR&T branch, said that the congress resolved that their predicament should be made known to the Federal Government.

Agbaje said that it was sad that workers of the institute had not been paid their 2024 December salary, which had thrown them into serious problem.

“The protest will not stop except we get our 2024 December salary.

“We are passing a message to the federal government through IAR&T management, we don’t expect them to sit back here, but to go to Abuja to fast-track the payment.

“We have information that the payment is at the level of cash backing and approval at the Accountant-General’s office and we appeal that the Accountant-General do the needful,” he said.

Also speaking, Mr Osadiya Adewumi, Chairman of Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU), IAR&T branch, expressed worry that the payment was taking longer than expected waiting for the approval of the Accountant-General.

Adewumi said that the promised they early received was that the 2024 December salary would be paid alongside the 2025 March salary, but that did not happen and only March salary was paid.

“We expect the IAR&T Director to go to Abuja and not sit back in Ibadan.

“We are suspecting a foul play, which is that the Director’s tenure will terminate by April ending and she wants to leave the problem for another person to inherit.

“She must ensure the payment of our money before leaving office,” he said.

Adewumi further alleged the director of paying Christmas bonus to selected workers and neglected others.

Mr Momoh Ismail, Chairman of the Senior Staff Association of Universities Teaching Hospital Research Institute and Associated Institutions (SSAUTHRIAI), said they are tired of excuses from the IAR&T management.

Ismail said that the union had done everything possible to ensure payment of the 2024 December salary, noting that the non-payment was truly an omission, but should have been rectified.

In her reaction, the IAR&T Director, Prof. Veronica Obatolu, said the omission affected not only IAR&T, but also eight other institutions.

According to her, she had travelled severally to Abuja to ensure the payment.

Obatolu said that she was surprised that workers were accusing her of not doing enough to ensure payment of their 2024 December salary, adding that the non-payment also affected her salary too.

She said that she had been monitoring the process of payment in Abuja until last week Friday and she does not have to travel every time.

The director said that the money was ready for payment as at now.

On the allegation of not paying Christmas bonus to all workers, the Director said that only junior workers from level one to six were paid due to paucity of fund. (NAN)