Laide Raheem, Abeokuta

The Lagos Zone of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), on Friday, called on to the governments of Oyo and Osun states to work out modalities to end the “impasse” at the jointly owned Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, Oyo State.

The Zonal Coordinator of the Union, Prof. Olusoji Sowand, made the call while addressing the press at the ASUU Secretariat, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB).

Sowande said it is high time the two governors came together and fashion out ways on how to properly fund the university, which he said has potentials of being the best university in Nigeria.

He posited that for proper funding of the university and solution to the lingering crisis, one state should own the citadel of learning.

He further ascribed bad politics as factor responsible for the ownership crisis ravaging the smooth administration of the university, noting the union should not be blamed for further disruption of academics and other activities at LAUTECH after the expiration two weeks warning strike.

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Sowande, however, called on members of public, prominent and well meaning indigenes of the two states, to prevail on the governments of Oyo and Osun to improve on the institution’s funding.

According to him, the non-release of the report of Visitation Panel chaired by Wole Olaonipekun, SAN, set up to recommend lasting solutions for resolving the recurrent funding crisis in the university “shows that the owner state governments are not interested in permanently resolving the crisis”.

Sowande disclosed that during ASUU’s delegation visit to the institution, there was high tension in the school, adding “the girls were going into prostitution and the boys engaging into unspeakable things”

He remarked that the already precarious situation was exacerbated as the Governing-Council of the university, recently approved increase in tuition fees N200,000 minimum and N300,000 maximum.

The action, according him, “was provocative and clearly shows lack of sensitivity to the plight of the poor and struggling students of LAUTECH”.

“One would expect that the funding of this university would improve to forestall the reoccurrence of such avoidable long strike action. Breach of the MoU is evidenced by continuous infrastructural decay, unpaid salary arrears of ten months, irregular cum dwindling payment of monthly salary since May 2018, nonpayment of four years promotion arrears (2014,2015,2016 and 2017) and non payment of Earned Academic Allowance (EAA)”. Sowande stated.