The Vice Chancellor of Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye, Ogun State, Prof. Ayodeji Agboola, has explained why the university scrapped the two-day off duty previously granted to non-academic staff.
Speaking on Wednesday, Agboola said the policy, introduced nearly a year ago to cushion the effect of fuel subsidy removal, had become counterproductive and was slowing down work across the university.
According to him, the special transport allowance already given to staff has taken care of the hardship that initially justified the policy, making it unnecessary to continue.
The VC also accused some non-academic staff of putting personal interests above the university’s progress, saying they refused to attend three separate dialogue meetings organised by management.
“It’s unfair for anyone to work 14 days and expect 30 days’ pay,” Agboola said. “Such demands undermine the integrity of the institution, especially since our staff earn better than many in federal universities.”
He made the remarks while addressing the ongoing face-off between the management and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU).
Both unions had protested on Tuesday, accusing the management of high-handedness and neglecting staff welfare. They also rejected the cancellation of the off-duty policy introduced by the state government in September 2024.
Agboola, however, dismissed the claims as false. He said the university council, during its 219th meeting on October 27, reviewed the policy and discovered it was affecting efficiency and service delivery.
“OOU runs on continuous academic, administrative, and technical services. The two-day off disrupted that flow,” he explained, adding that other state institutions like Tai Solarin University of Education had already ended the policy.
He assured staff that the decision was taken in the best interest of the university, not against anyone.
Agboola also highlighted that OOU non-teaching staff enjoy better conditions than their counterparts in the state civil service, including longer annual leave and special allowances.
“Our pension contributions are up to date, arrears are being cleared, and staff promotions are ongoing,” he added.
The VC appealed to the protesting unions to return to the discussion table, stressing that the management remains open to dialogue that supports OOU’s growth.
EduTimes Africa, a product of Education Times Africa, is a magazine publication that aims to lend its support to close the yawning gap in Africa's educational development.
