By Banji Ayoola
The Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Polytechnics, SSANIP, at Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, Ondo State, RUGIPO, has suspended its prolonged strike to enable negotiation with a committee set up by the state government over its complaints.
Workers of the institution, including members of the association, had gone on strike since February 16, 2026, over the non implementation of the new national minimum wage for them, among other grouses.
The strike’s suspension was contained in a communique issued at the end of an emergency Congress by SSANIP, and addressed to the institution’s Acting Rector, Dr. Sunday Olorunwa Lawson,
It was signed by the association’s chairman, Comrade Saka-Olokungboye Nurudeen; and secretary, Comrade Olanitori Olayemi.
Following is the full communique, dated
Wednesday, 6th May, 2026:
“COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AT THE END OF THE EMERGENCY CONGRESS OF THE SENIOR STAFF ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA POLYTECHNICS (SSANIP) RUFUS GIWA POLYTECHNIC, OWO, CHAPTER HELD AT ADEKUNLE AJASIN AUDITORIUM ON WEDNESDAY, 6TH MAY, 2026.
At the emergency Congress of the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Polytechnics (SSANIP) Rufus Giwa Polytechnic Owo, Chapter held today, Wednesday, 6th May, 2026, members of the union met and discussed issues affecting the institution which led to the protest of Monday, 16th February, 2026.
At the meeting, members extensively re-assessed the curent situation, particularly, the unresolved demands of the workers on the non implementation of the series of Minimum wages and consequential salary adjustment that are enjoyed in other tertiary institutions in Ondo State.
Having painstakingly reviewed the on-going protest embarked upon by SSANIP, interventions from many important dignitaries within the state and most importantly, the need for the Union to interface with the Committee constituted by the Ondo State Government on the implementation of the new minimum wage in the Polytechnic, the Congress then resolved as follows:
1. That the Protest action embarked upon by SSANIP since Monday, 16th February, 2026 is hereby suspended with immediate effect;
2. That the committee constituted by the Ondo State Government should expedite action on this assignment and conclude all actions on it within a reasonable period of time;
3. That the Congress constituted a-5 man committee to liaise with the Executive Committee of the union to discuss with Management on other salient issues affecting the union;
4.That the Congress agreed that at the payment of JUNE 2026 salary, if Government/Management fails to implement the minimum wage of #70,000, SSANIP would be left with no other option than to resume the suspended industrial action;
5 . That Item (4) above is to drive home the legitimate demand of our members within the ambit of the existing cognate law;
6. That the resolutions reached at the Congress should be given a wide media publicity with the intent to create necessary awareness to the public on the plausible reasons behind the suspension of the protest;
7 .That for the purpose of clarity, it should be emphasised that the suspension is to allow room for dialogue, re-negotiation and to have any feasible engagement with the appropriate authorities on the demands of the union;
8. That Congress agreed that none of our members must be humiliated, intimidated or punished for participating in the Industrial protests.”
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