Academic activities at the Ebonyi State College of Education, Ikwo have been brought to a halt following a one-week warning strike declared by lecturers over poor working conditions.
Members of the College of Education Academic Staff Union began the strike on Monday after issuing both 14-day and 7-day ultimatums to the Ebonyi State Government and the college management. The union had demanded urgent action on several welfare concerns affecting staff.
A visit to the institution revealed that lecture halls, administrative offices, laboratories, and the main gate were locked, leaving the campus largely deserted.
The industrial action also disrupted the college’s second-semester examinations, which were scheduled to begin the same day according to the academic calendar. Only a few students were seen around the premises.
One of the students, Uchenna Nchoko, expressed frustration over the situation.
“We were already preparing for our examinations this week. Now everything has stopped, and it is discouraging for many of us,” he said, urging authorities to resolve the issue quickly.
The Chairman of the Academic Staff Union in the college, Dr. Ama Nnachi, explained that the strike was triggered by the failure of authorities to implement the approved 2024 salary structure and improve staff welfare.
According to him, lecturers in the institution have been receiving salaries based on an outdated minimum wage framework since 2010.
He noted that some lecturers with more than two decades of service reportedly earn less than ₦30,000 monthly despite rising living costs.
Nnachi also highlighted other concerns, including unpaid pensions and gratuities for retired staff.
“Some staff members who worked for over 30 years retire without receiving their benefits. That is unacceptable,” he said, adding that the union is demanding the implementation of at least 70 percent of the current minimum wage for lecturers in colleges of education.
Reacting to the development, the Provost of the institution, Professor Benedict Mbam, denied claims that the second-semester examinations had been cancelled.
He stated that students were asked to proceed on Easter holidays and insisted that some of the salary claims made by the lecturers were inaccurate.
Mbam explained that staff earnings vary according to grade levels and deductions such as loans and cooperative contributions, which may reduce the amount received at the end of the month.
He also dismissed accusations that he had ignored the lecturers’ complaints, noting that he had communicated their concerns to the state government.
“I have taken their demands to the governor. The issue may not have been resolved yet, but it is not true that I ignored their agitation,” he said.
The strike has raised fresh concerns about the stability of the academic calendar in tertiary institutions across Ebonyi State, particularly as students preparing for examinations face uncertainty.
Observers say a swift resolution between lecturers, the college management, and the state government is necessary to prevent prolonged disruption of academic activities.
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