BREAKING: Angry staff to shut down NMU over poor welfare

By Rufus Ibebe

KURUTIE – Angry academic and non-academic staff of the Nigeria Maritime University Okerenkoko in Gbaramatu kingdom, Warri South West Local Government Area will on Tuesday embark on indefinite strike to protest non payment of over 30 months allowances and poor staff welfare.

This was disclosed by the aggrieved staff to Congress correspondent in Kurutie on Sunday shortly after a meeting held by the staff at the temporary campus in Kurutie.

The staff, in a statement by Comrades Oweikeye Endoro and Moses Yabrade on behalf of the staff unanimously endorsed the strike.

The statement read partly: “Staff of NMU at all levels, namely, Academic and Non-academic agree that the patience and understanding with management regarding the needs of staff has been long envisaged and misconstrued to imply ignorance and weakness.

“The only congress held out of pressure on the 19th of February, 2021 where management in attendance promised to look into staff issues, till date have not yet yeilded any pleasant outcome, rather worsening and unabated, the duo asserted.

“To this, Staff have resolved as follows: Workers 28 days in-lieu of accomodation for new employees be paid without further delay.

“Workers relocation allowance from Kurutie take-off campus to Okerenkoko, Abuja and Warri offices, covering expenses on accomodation, transport, furnishing and risk be paid without further delay.

“Staff 13th month payable every October be restored and arrears paid without delay from October, 2019, 2020 and 2021 respectively.

“Monthly general allowance to staff covering peculiarity, hazard, risk, and others last paid on May, 2019 should be paid without further delay. Accrued arrears of 30 months, May 2019 to October 2021.”

According to the staff, the above listed items were duly approved by the federal government through her Appointment Council headed by His Excellency, Chief Timipre Silva on September 2018 which are due for review.

The angry staff also pooh-poohed the infrastructure state of the institution and deprecated the incessant commercial boat mishaps experienced by staff and cadets as worrisome.

“Teaching and learning facilities such as classrooms, offices and library especially at Okerenkoko main Campus need urgent attention if the university is serious with the accreditation of her degrees.

Medical facilities should be defined beyond mere paracetamol dispensing centres. A well equipped secondary health centre befitting of an offshore university in the main campus should be addressed within the shortest possible period.”

“Pending the actualization of the aforementioned demands, we hereby suspend our services for the institution indefinitely.” The resolution added.

Efforts to reach Dr. Alfred Mulade, Registrar of the University for comments on his MTN line were unsuccessful as at press time.