UNIZIK Staff Protest over 4 Years Salary Arrears

By Praise Chinecherem

Some staff of Nnamdi Azikiwe University (NAU), Awka, Anambra State on Thursday protested non-payment of their four years salaries.

The protesters said they were yet to be captured in the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) since 2019 they got their employment letters.

They displayed placards with different inscriptions, including, ‘Federal Government, do come to our rescue’, ‘it’s been four years of employment with NAU without pay’ and ‘Senate and House of Reps, our case needs urgent attention’.

Others read: ‘We are dying of hunger and depression’, ‘We are now Debtors’, ‘Presidency and Head of Service, save our souls’, among others.

Addressing newsmen, the group’s spokesperson, Mr Echezonam Ibezim said it was unimaginable how his members were yet to get their salaries after going through the processes of employment.

“Since Jan.1, 2019, when we got our employment letters and resumed work, we have not been paid a dime till today.The school management said we have to be captured in IPPIS.

“At some point, about 120 persons were sent text messages to go to Enugu for IPPIS capturing and after that, the remaining 1,311 persons were yet to be captured.

“They keep saying they are working on it, but this is four years running, nothing has been done, no salaries.

“We come to work regularly, the students I taught from year one have all graduated. What is our crime? We are suffering, many of us cannot afford to pay our rents and pay other bills.

“We are holding this protest to call the attention of the National Assembly, the HOS and Nigerians, to our plights. The Federal government should come to our rescue,” he said.

Responding, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Administration, NAU, Prof. Joseph Ikechebelu thanked the protesting staff for being civil.

He said that the management was working to resolve the problem and assured them that their concerns would be considered