…Laments Non-payment of New Minimum Wage

…If you can’t Pay Subvention, Allow Management to Increase Sch. Fees – Prof Osita Ogbu

By Amaechi Agbo

As the students of Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) gear up for resumption of the 2025/2026 new academic session on Monday, October 13, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Aloysius-Michaels Okolie has lamented the impact of not receiving the monthly subvention from the Enugu State Government on the institution.

Professor Okolie who also expressed worry that ESUT staff have not been enrolled into the payment of the new minimum wage salary in the state since November last year has put the university in financial quagmire.

The VC who disclosed this in Enugu during the two-day training workshop for ESUT Staff, said the non-payment of the monthly subvention for the past four months as well as not incorporating ESUT workers into the new minimum wage structure in the state are two extremes with diverse consequences.

“This workshop is very critical because we are facing many turbulence. At the end of September, we are owed four months subvention. I feel disturbed we are not collecting the new minimum wage. After this workshop, we must think of a way forward. From all indications, as it is now, we are going to a stage where there will no more subvention. I don’t pray we reach there but it is obvious. Right now we are signing Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) with relevant partners to prepare for what may come eventually.

“The question is: what do we do to survive? We must provide purposeful leadership in our various faculties, departments and units,” he said.

On his part, the Facilitator of the training workshop, Professor Osita Ogbu argued that subvention is a global practice through which universities are sustained. He expressed concerned that ESUT is being owed four months subvention adding that such act would impede the universities finances and the staff will bear the heat.

“Subvention is a global practice. Governments pay subventions to universities to ensure their sustenance. Education is a social service and the government plays leading role. In Europe, where governments do not pay subvention, they give research grants to the universities. If as government you can’t pay subvention, then allow the management to increase school fees.

“But this will have catastrophic consequences. It means education will no longer be affordable. In a country where we are battling out-of-school pandemic, Enugu State and indeed Nigeria, will not be able to face the future implications when a large number of our children could not access education up to university level,” he warned.