UNICAL: 266 Workers protest 7yrs’ unpaid Salaries

….., Demand payroll inclusion

From Ene Asuquo, Calabar

No fewer than 266 workers of the University of Calabar (UNICAL), Cross River State, employed during the 2019/2020 academic year, has staged a peaceful protest over alleged seven years of unpaid salaries and their exclusion from the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS).

The protesters, who said they were employed under the administration of the university’s former Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Zana Akpagu.

They also demanded the implementation of resolutions by the House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions and directives from the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) concerning their employment.

Speaking on behalf of the affected workers, Mr. Nesta Akpama said the protesters received appointment letters, underwent documentation and resumed duty before the COVID-19 lockdown disrupted the process.

Akpama said although some of the workers had completed their documentation before the lockdown, the process was halted after Prof. Florence Obi assumed office as Vice-Chancellor, pending verification of the employment.

According to him, the university management subsequently constituted a committee to verify the appointments, adding that the committee found nothing wrong with the employment of the affected workers and recommended that they should continue with their duties.

“She said she wanted to verify the status of our employment. She formed a committee and the committee’s resolution said nothing was found wanting and that we should continue, but she kept us waiting,” he alleged.

Akpama said the workers subsequently petitioned the House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions, which held several hearings involving UNICAL management, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation and other universities where similar employment issues had arisen.

He said some of the affected workers in other institutions, including the University of Port Harcourt and the University of Jos, had their cases resolved following the interventions.

He further claimed that the National Assembly and the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation directed UNICAL to absorb the affected workers and commence payment of their salaries.

“Head of Service wrote to the school in a letter with reference number OHCSF/HOS/RIOF/50676, dated April 8, 2025, requesting that we should be put on the payroll immediately. 

The House of Representatives also sent a resolution that the school should absorb us and payroll us immediately,” he said.

The protesters said they renewed their engagement with the new Vice-Chancellor following his appointment, but alleged that they were told he needed to be properly briefed on the matter before taking action.

Akpama said the decision to stage Tuesday’s protest followed what the workers described as the discovery of fresh employment activities within the university.

“We gave some time, kept coming and engaging management. Yesterday, as part of our routine visit, we discovered a group of persons filing into his office for employment. That prompted today’s protest,” he said.

He said the protesters wanted the Vice-Chancellor to explain why the resolutions of the House of Representatives and the directive from the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation had allegedly not been implemented, while new employment activities were reportedly taking place.

Akpama clarified that although the official list forwarded to the university contained 266 names, fewer than 100 of the affected workers were physically present at the protest.

“From the list, we have 266 sent to the school. Physically, we are not up to 100. That shows we need this job. 

Those here have completed documentation, have appointment letters signed by their heads of department and have since assumed duty,” he said.

Asked whether the protesters were demanding employment only for those who had completed their documentation, Akpama said they were relying on the resolution of the House of Representatives.

“We stand on the House resolution. The House said the 266 sent to the school should be captured and paid,” he said.

He lamented that the affected workers had allegedly not received any salary since their employment, describing the situation as seven years without pay.

Despite their grievances, Akpama said the protest was peaceful and expressed optimism that the new Vice-Chancellor would address the matter.

However, when contacted for the university’s position, a staff member of the Public Relations Office, Mr. Erete Ikpeme, said he could not comment on the matter without authorisation.

“You know I have no authority to speak on that issue. 

My boss, the PRO, is at the moment not feeling fine and he has not given me the authorisation to make a comment on such a sensitive issue,” Ikpeme said.