Former Anambra State governor and Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi has highlighted the dire plight of teaching and non-teaching staff at Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK) in Awka, who have reportedly not been paid salaries for five years. Despite being employed between 2019 and 2020, these workers have been excluded from the federal payroll system known as IPPIS, which has rendered them unable to receive their rightful earnings. Obi, after meeting with the affected staff, described the situation as more than just delayed payment but outright exclusion, urging urgent federal government action.
Obi recounted heartbreaking stories shared by the staff, including eviction, family breakdowns, untreated medical conditions, and even deaths linked to their inability to afford basic healthcare. He condemned the neglect as a reflection of systemic failure and emphasized that the issue transcends labor rights, framing it as a moral and humanitarian crisis. Obi stressed that neglecting the welfare of educators undermines the nation’s future, calling for the immediate enrollment of these workers onto the payroll system and payment of all outstanding arrears.
The situation at UNIZIK, Obi noted, is symptomatic of a broader challenge facing academic and non-academic staff across Nigeria’s public universities, many of whom suffer from salary delays, poor funding, and inadequate working conditions. His appeal places a spotlight on the urgent need for reforms to protect the dignity and rights of university workers, ensuring they are fairly compensated and supported as a fundamental part of strengthening Nigeria’s education sector.
