Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa has cleared the backlog of salary arrears owed to workers of Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, effectively ending the era of percentage salary payments in Ondo State.
Speaking at the combined 12th–23rd convocation ceremony of the institution in Owo, the Governor announced that his administration had settled 10 of the 13 months’ salary arrears inherited from the previous administration and approved payment for the remaining three months.
Aiyedatiwa reaffirmed his government’s commitment to prompt and full salary payments across all state-owned tertiary institutions, describing the era of salary cuts as “a dark chapter that must never return.”
He outlined his administration’s vision to strengthen the education sector in the state, pledging to sustain ongoing reforms and reposition Rufus Giwa Polytechnic into a University of Agriculture and Agro-Business.
The Governor commended the staff and students of the institution for their patience and resilience during the difficult period and expressed appreciation to the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) for its continued support.
Aiyedatiwa also called on alumni and private sector partners to collaborate with the government in improving educational infrastructure across Ondo State.
He emphasized that his administration’s goal is to transform the state’s tertiary institutions into hubs of innovation, research, and job creation, rather than centres producing job seekers.
Saturday’s convocation marked a major milestone for the institution, which had been unable to hold such a ceremony for the past 12 years. The last convocation of Rufus Giwa Polytechnic was held in 2013.
