On Monday, workers at Rufus Giwa Polytechnic in Owo, Ondo State, staged a protest demanding the implementation of the new national minimum wage, which is set at N73,000. The protest, organized by the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Polytechnics (SSANIP) and the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), saw academic and non-academic staff barricading the institution's main gate, demonstrating their frustration over the exclusion of polytechnic staff from the wage increase that has been reportedly granted to other state workers since November 2024.

Protesters voiced their grievances, elaborating that they were still relegated to the old N18,000 minimum wage while their counterparts in other sectors enjoyed the benefits of the new wage. The SSANIP Chairman, Saka Olokungboye, emphasized that the polytechnic staff felt neglected by the state government, especially in terms of welfare packages that were extended to other public sector workers. The demonstration disrupted activities at the polytechnic, signaling mounting dissatisfaction among the workforce over perceived inequities in pay and benefits within the state.

This protest not only highlights the financial struggles faced by the employees of Rufus Giwa Polytechnic but also raises broader concerns about wage equity and the treatment of educational institutions in the state's budgetary allocations. As the workers demand their rights, it underscores the need for the state government to address disparities in wage implementation and ensure fair treatment for all categories of its workers, which could potentially set a precedent for similar protests in other institutions across the region.