Academic and non-academic staff of Akwa Ibom State University (AKSU) have launched a protest over delayed salaries and unpaid minimum wage arrears, demanding immediate intervention from the state government.
The aggrieved workers, drawn from the Obio Akpa campus in Oruk Anam and the Ikot Akpaden campus in Mkpat Enin Local Government Area, marched on Monday to the state’s Ministry of Science and Digital Economy in Uyo. They carried placards with messages such as “Pay us our salaries, we also have families to cater for,” and vowed not to resume work until their outstanding wages are paid.
The protesting staff are demanding payment of their May and June 2025 salaries, alongside eight months of unpaid minimum wage arrears, citing worsening economic hardship.
The Ministry of Science and Digital Economy, recently established by Governor Umo Eno, now manages the state’s digital payroll system. Staff allege that the ministry, headed by Commissioner Frank Ekpeyong, is responsible for processing and disbursing salaries across public institutions in the state.
In response to the growing unrest, the Commissioner for Information, Aniekan Umanah, attributed the salary delays to an ongoing payroll verification exercise. He said the audit, initiated to eliminate ghost workers and clean up the wage system, has temporarily disrupted payment schedules.
“The state government is working to resolve the issues. Workers will be paid once the verification process is concluded,” Umanah assured, adding that 3,000 new recruits would soon be added to the state civil service.
