Around 1,000 lecturers from Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, have staged a protest over the non-payment of their salaries, some of which have been overdue for up to five years. The lecturers shared that 12 of their colleagues, employed around the same time, have passed away while still waiting for their pay.
The protesters, holding placards to express their frustrations, called for immediate payment of their overdue salaries, highlighting the severe economic strain this has placed on their families. One lecturer, Mr. Ibezim Echezona, shared the emotional toll, revealing that they had buried 12 colleagues, with the most recent death occurring this year.
Echezona added, “Our members are dying, and we have buried 12 members so far… This is someone we saw last December, and today she is no more. This is the reality we are facing due to non-payment of our salaries for five to six years.”
Another staff member, Mr. Chukwuebuka Emmanuel, who works at the Center for Disabilities and Special Needs Research, shared his personal struggles. Emmanuel, who has been employed since 2019, has not received any pay despite fulfilling his duties. He expressed the challenges faced by both him and his family, stating that the financial strain has reached a breaking point.
“We do not know who is holding our salaries—whether it’s the federal government, the Ministry of Education, or the university itself,” Emmanuel lamented.
5to 6years sha? abegi this one no sweet at all.