Staff members of the former Institute of Technology and Management (ITM), Ugep, now operating as the Federal Polytechnic, Ugep (FPU), staged a significant protest on Monday in Calabar, demanding payment of six months’ unpaid salaries. The workers have not received any salary since January 2025, following the Cross River State Government’s handover of ITM to the newly established federal institution.
The transition, which was expected to absorb the existing staff into the federal system, has yet to materialize in terms of financial remuneration or clear communication regarding their employment status. According to the protesting workers, the promise of absorption remains unfulfilled, leaving them in a precarious position without pay or job security.
Emilia Oden, one of the staff members who joined the protest, expressed the dire situation: “We need our payment. We have to feed our families. Please beg the government for us, we need money; our families need to survive.” Her plea highlights the human cost of the administrative transition and the hardship faced by the affected employees.
okay.ng reports that the Federal Polytechnic, Ugep, has taken over the ITM’s facilities and relocated its operations to the campus. However, many former ITM staff claim they have been sidelined during this process, continuing their duties without compensation.
The protesting workers traveled over 100 kilometers from Ugep to Calabar, the state capital, to present their grievances directly to the government. They marched to the Governor’s Office, singing solidarity songs and carrying placards with messages such as “Government, we want our payment!” The demonstration was peaceful but underscored the growing frustration among the staff.
Some union leaders were granted access to the Governor’s Office complex to await a scheduled meeting with Governor Bassey Otu, while the majority of protesters remained outside under heightened security measures.
This protest follows a similar demonstration in Ugep, where the Paramount Ruler, Obol Ofem, voiced his concern over the unpaid salaries and promised to bring the matter to the governor’s attention. Despite these efforts, as of the time this report was filed, the Cross River State Government had not issued an official response to the workers’ demands
