The Committee of Unions of Tertiary Institutions (CUTI) comprising of COLAASU, SSUCOEN and NASU Kwara State College of Arabic and Islamic Legal Studies (CAILS) chapter has condemned the neglect by the state government of workers of its institutions.

The association said since the state government has refused to fulfill its part of the agreement reached following the four months’ strike, they have decided to embark on an indefinite strike until their salary arrears are cleared as they have endured enough.

A statement from the group signed by its chairman, Comrade Mohammed Umar Faruq, and its secretary, Comrade Usman K Ali, said "Sequel to the suspension of the four month strike action by CUTI on 18th February, 2016 following the intervention by stakeholders and the acceptance of responsibility by the state government to pay salary arrears according to the management, the staff are still being owed from August, 2015 till date(10 months salaries).

"We have over time endured non-implementation of annual increments, non-monetisation of 2013 promotion, non-implementation of 2014 and 2015 promotions and non-implementation of 2013 migration of concerned staff.

"Our members can no longer withstand the predicament caused by the above situations. In view of the above at the congress held last week Wednesday, it was resolved that the management must effect all the above prayers on or before Friday, particularly payment of 10 months outstanding salaries or be left with no option from the staff than to immediately resume the suspended strike action."

Meanwhile, the workers of Kwara State College of Education, Oro have also commenced an indefinite strike action over unpaid eight months salary arrears. A statement signed by Comrade AbdulKareem Amuda-Kannike on behalf of the three unions of the striking workers in Oro, said the strike began last week Tuesday.

The statement said the strike action became imperative after series of consultations and appeals to the Kwara government yielded no positive result. The statement added that the workers can no longer guarantee a conducive learning environment at the institution, adding that all offices and classrooms at the college would remain shut until eight months salary arrears were settled.

In a swift reaction, the state Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Hajia Aminat Ahmed, said the Provost of the College, Dr Olayinka Olowonirejuaro, intimated her before the commencement of the strike, adding that the issue of unpaid workers salaries was before Governor AbdulFatah Ahmed for positive response. The commissioner attributed the inability to settle the salary arrears to the failure of several students of the institution to pay school fees.