On Monday, employees of Ugep, the erstwhile Institute of Technology and Management, protested in Calabar over six months’ worth of unpaid wages.
The workers said that since January 2025, when the Cross River State Government transferred ITM to the recently founded Federal Polytechnic, Ugep, they have not received their salaries.
The demonstrators claimed that despite the state’s pledge to integrate the employees into the federal system, they are still working without compensation or a clear plan for their future.
“We must get paid. We must provide for our families. Emilia Oden, one of the demonstrators, said, “Please plead with the government for us; we need money; our families need to survive.”
FPU has taken over ITM’s facilities and moved its operations to the campus, but many ITM staff say they have been abandoned during the transition.
Singing songs of unity and carrying signs that said things like “Government, we want our payment!” the protesting workers traveled more than 100 kilometers to the Governor’s Office in Calabar.
While some union leaders stayed outside under strict security, others were permitted to enter the facility in anticipation of a meeting with Governor Bassey Otu.
Following a previous protest in Ugep, Obol Ofem, the Paramount Ruler, voiced his concerns and pledged to bring up the matter with the governor.
The state government has not responded formally as of the time this article was filed.
About The Author
