Some non-academic staff members of the University of Ibadan (UI) collapsed in the banks over what was termed a zero-zero account.
The affected staff are members of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), the Non Academic Staff Union of Education and Associated Institutions (NASU) and the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT).
According to the information gathered, upon receiving alerts that September’s salary has been paid, the staff who have not been paid for six months rushed to their respective banks to withdraw money to buy food and other basic things.
On getting to the banks, some of them were told to their shock that their bank accounts were empty because the banks have used the salary paid to settle part of their debts arising from the money borrowed either from the banks or school cooperative.
According to the sources, the September salary was not sufficient to settle the outstanding of some staff, hence, subsequent salary payments may also be used to settle debts.
After listening to the reason why the affected staff had no money to withdraw from their accounts, some of them collapsed in the banking hall and were rushed to hospital, where they were revived.
A director in the premier University revealed that some staff under him were affected but believed that staff would be fine by the time the backlog of monthly salaries is paid.
Also, a senior staff told Prime Star News, “Well, it is true that many saw zero Naira in their account after the payment of September salary, including myself but thank God, I did not faint.”
It would be recalled that the non-academic staff embarked on strike in March and called off the strike in September despite the position of the Federal Government that they will not be paid for the months they did not work.
