“We Are Dying”: UNIZIK Lecturers Protest Five Years of Unpaid Salaries

Lecturers at Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, have staged a protest over the non-payment of their salaries for five years. About 1,000 academic staff who were employed since 2019 say they have not received any remuneration, despite fulfilling their teaching and research responsibilities.

The protesting lecturers, carrying placards with messages highlighting their plight, urged the authorities to address the situation. They lamented the worsening economic conditions and the toll it has taken on them and their families. Many said they were struggling with rent, school fees, and basic living expenses due to the prolonged delay.

The situation has already led to tragic losses within their ranks. According to Mr. Ibezim Echezona, one of the affected lecturers, twelve colleagues have died while waiting for their salaries. “We have buried 12 members so far. The last one was this year. We saw her in December, and today she is no more. That shows what we are going through,” he said.

Echezona called for urgent intervention, stating that the university should clarify whether the issue lies with the federal government or the school management. “This problem is in the hands of the university because IPPIS (Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System) is no more. We demand an explanation,” he said.

Another affected lecturer, Mr. Chukwuebuka Emmanuel from the Centre for Disabilities and Special Needs Research, said he has not received any salary since his employment in 2019. Emmanuel, who is visually impaired, explained how the financial hardship has affected him and his family. “We were initially told the issue was with IPPIS, but even after the Governing Council approved our payments, nothing changed,” he said.

Fighting back tears, Emmanuel described his struggle to provide for his wife and children. “We owe our landlords, and there is only so much assistance they can offer. What do I tell my children when they ask for school fees and other necessities?” he asked.

The lecturers remain uncertain about who is responsible for the delay—whether it is the federal government, the Ministry of Education, or the university itself. They called on the authorities to take immediate action, stressing that their patience has worn thin after years of unpaid labor.