Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has approved the release of ₦1.1 billion as a Special Intervention Fund for Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA) to offset outstanding salary arrears and bring an end to the ongoing strike by the institution’s staff.
The intervention comes amid an indefinite industrial action by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) at AAUA, which has disrupted academic activities and left thousands of students stranded.
The approval was announced in a statement issued by the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Ebenezer Adeniyan, who said the intervention fund is specifically intended to clear outstanding salary arrears owed to university staff and restore industrial harmony on campus.
According to the statement, Governor Aiyedatiwa has directed the Ondo State Ministry of Finance and the university management to ensure the immediate release and disbursement of the funds.
“The intervention is specifically to offset outstanding salary arrears owed to staff of the institution and to bring an end to the ongoing industrial dispute,” the statement said. The governor also appealed to the university unions to suspend the strike and return to work in the interest of students and the institution’s development.
The industrial action began on July 10, 2026, after the AAUA chapter of ASUU embarked on an indefinite strike over the non-payment of lecturers’ salaries. The union has maintained that its members are owed salaries for several months and has also demanded the implementation of agreements reached between the Federal Government and ASUU.
The intervention followed a 72-hour ultimatum issued by the university’s Students’ Union, which warned the state government to resolve the crisis or face peaceful mass action over the prolonged disruption of academic activities.
Despite welcoming reports of the fund’s release, the AAUA chapter of ASUU has said it will only consider suspending the strike after lecturers receive their salary payments. The union also insists that the state government must implement the 2025 Federal Government-ASUU agreement, describing it as a key issue beyond the payment of salary arrears.
Governor Aiyedatiwa said the intervention underscores his administration’s commitment to education and workers’ welfare, expressing confidence that a well-motivated workforce is essential to building a globally competitive university.
The move is expected to pave the way for the resumption of academic activities at AAUA once the outstanding issues between the state government and the university unions are resolved.
