The Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, Mr. Peter Obi, has described the non-payment of salaries to teaching and non-teaching staff of Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, as a moral and humanitarian issue.

Speaking after meeting with the affected staff, Obi said their plight was “shocking and heartbreaking.”

The workers, who were employed between 2019 and 2020, revealed that despite receiving valid appointments, they have been excluded from the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), which has made it impossible for them to receive their lawful salaries.

Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, lamented that the situation transcends mere salary delay, noting that it amounts to total exclusion from the federal payroll system.

“They have written petitions and appealed to various bodies, both within and outside Nigeria, yet the situation remains unchanged,” he said.

The former governor described the consequences of the prolonged neglect as devastating. According to him, the affected staff have endured severe hardships, including eviction from their homes, family breakdowns, untreated medical conditions, and, in some tragic cases, death due to lack of access to healthcare.

“This is a reflection of systemic failure. While we continue to lament the poor state of education in the country, the basic obligation of paying educational workers is ignored,” he said.

“This is not just a labour issue; it is a moral and humanitarian one,” Obi stressed.

He urged the Federal Government to take immediate action by enrolling the affected staff into the IPPIS platform without further delay and ensuring that all outstanding arrears are paid.

“A nation that neglects its educators and university staff undermines its own future,” he warned. “Their dignity, like that of every Nigerian worker, must be protected.”