Artisans petition Edo varsity, others over unpaid wages
A group of artisans and suppliers have called on Edo University, EDU, Iyamho, to pay up unpaid wages.
The workers also took their plea to the developer who through their lawyer, Pragmatic Legal Solicitors, expressed their grievances through a protest letter to the management of EDU.
According to the letter delivered to the management of the institution and made available to journalists, the bank engaged the service of the firm to construct and develop a 150 rooms hostel at EDU.
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The contract, which was awarded in April 2019 was 90% completed when the management of EDU on January 5, in the presence of some of the bank’s officials opened the facility without the consent of the developer, who according to the letter was meant to manage the facility for two years after completion.
Though, according to the letter, the bank terminated the contract without following due process as stated in the Memorandum of Understanding, the firm through the artisans, however, pleaded with the management of the bank to urgently pay them N82,152,200.
The Site Manager, Toheeb Olagunju, who was said to have been physically assaulted several times during the construction by unknown persons at EDU’s premises, narrated how he was malandled and injured when thugs invaded the hostel.
The management of EDU has also taken over materials and equipment belonging to the firm worth millions of naira and has refused the developer access into the hostel.
Efforts are still on to reach Aperua-Yusuf Abdulrahman, Head of Physical Planning of the institution and the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, as calls to their lines rang out.