Harrison and Deborah Osaigede, the owners of De Harry International School, Port Harcourt, have paid Oludare Babalola, N97,000 out of the N197,000 they have owed him as their staff in 2022.

Babalola confirmed to FIJ on Sunday that he had received this amount, six weeks after FIJ published the report and contacted the school owners.

However, he said that Harrison claimed he would not pay the remaining balance of N100,500.

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“He has paid N97,000 out of the N197,000. Thanks a lot. But he said he won’t pay the N100,500,” Babalola told FIJ.

In screenshots shared with FIJ, the school director said he would not pay the remaining balance, arguing that there was no agreement about the salary for the COVID-19 period, when this debt was incurred.

Babalola told FIJ that the agreement was for him to be paid 50% of two months’ salary during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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The director denied owing Babalola any pay for the COVID-19 period.

FIJ reported on August 17 how the school owners had refused to pay their former staff member what they owed him since he resigned from the school in December 2022.

Babalola said he gave the school six months’ notice before his departure, instead of the required three months, to avoid any withholding of his salary. Nevertheless, the school withheld his pay.

After FIJ contacted Harrison in August, he asked Babalola to give him until September to settle the debt. While he eventually made a payment, he still retains a significant portion of the amount owed.