Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, has raised alarm over the plight of teaching and non-teaching staff at Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, who have reportedly not received salaries for over five years.
During a visit to Awka on Friday, Obi met with some of the affected staff and listened to their distressing stories. The workers, employed between 2019 and 2020, claim they were never enrolled in the federal government’s payroll system, the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), despite receiving valid appointment letters.
Speaking after the meeting, Obi expressed deep concern over what he described as a clear case of injustice and systemic neglect. He said the situation goes beyond salary delay and should be seen as complete exclusion from the national payroll structure.
“These are people who have been working in a federal university for five years without pay,” Obi said. “They have families. They have responsibilities. Some of them have lost their homes, their marriages have broken down, and others have died due to untreated illnesses because they could not afford healthcare.”
The affected staff, according to Obi, have sent petitions to relevant authorities within and outside Nigeria, but no concrete action has been taken so far. He described the experience shared by the workers as “heartbreaking and unacceptable.”
“This is not just about labour rights. It’s a moral and humanitarian issue. You cannot expect people to work for years without pay and still demand quality education in our universities,” he added.
The issue highlights the broader challenges facing Nigeria’s education system, especially in public universities. Many institutions have struggled with underfunding, delayed salaries, and poor working conditions, leading to frequent industrial actions by university unions.
Obi highlighted that if the nation hopes to improve its education sector, it must begin by treating its workers with dignity and fairness. He criticized the government’s silence on the matter and called for immediate action to remedy the situation.
“We cannot talk about national development while ignoring the very people who build the minds of our youth. Education is the foundation of any serious nation. If we fail our educators, we fail ourselves,” Obi said.
He urged the Federal Government to immediately enroll the affected UNIZIK staff on the IPPIS platform and ensure they receive all outstanding payments. He also called for a thorough investigation into why their names were omitted in the first place.
“This is a clear case of injustice, and justice delayed is justice denied. These workers deserve to be treated with respect, not neglect,” he stated.
As the education sector continues to face mounting challenges, Obi’s intervention adds to the growing call for reforms and accountability. For the affected UNIZIK workers, the hope remains that the government will finally hear their cries and deliver long-overdue justice.
