LAUTECH crisis: ASUU lists conditions to resume academic activities

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) Ogbomoso chapter, on Monday  gave its conditions  for ending the  ongoing industrial action at the institution.
Dr Biodun Olaniran, the Chairman of the union,  told newsmen in Ogbomoso that meeting the conditions would end the crisis.
The management of the institution had announced Friday  for re-opening after it had  been shut for eight months.
But ASUU  rejected the resumption date,  declaring that it had  not called off its industrial action which began on September 19, 2016.
Olaniran stated that  while the school had  resumed,  academic activities were yet to  commence  as a result of the ongoing strike.
He said that  the impasse could be resolved  through  transparent commitment, urging government to demonstrate honesty of purpose.
Olaniran urged the government to clearly state a plan of sustainable funding pattern or framework for the university.
“Government should provide an agreeable plan of defraying the indebtedness of the outstanding N7.1 billion to the university.
“They should issue a clear commitment to the settlement of arrears of sundry allowances accumulated over the years,’’ he said.
The ASUU chairman stated that  refusal to pragmatically and honestly address the demands could deepen the crises.
“Salary is not the real issue. Our major demand borders most on the funding of the institution.
“Internally Generated Revenue  can never be a substitute to the funding of the university,’’ he said.
Also speaking, Dr Ade Adejumo, the Zonal Coordinator,  Ibadan Zone of ASUU, stated that the union would not go back on its  demands until they were met.
Adejumo, who  said that the government had  only paid N500 million out of the N7.6 billion outstanding arrears,  added:
“None of our members is pensionable if he or she is relieved of the job today.
“We have cried that universities cannot sustain itself on IGR.
“The development is in the public domain and it will be irresponsible of us if we resume without achieving our demands.’’
Meanwhile, some students of the institution have appealed to their striking lecturers, the management and owner-governments  to  resolve the crisis.
Miss Rukayat Aremo, a 500 level student of Agricultural Science,  appealed to the striking lecturers to put  the plight of the students  into consideration.
Another student, Yahya Samuel, said many of his colleagues had resumed and were ready   to begin academic activities as soon as possible.
The owner state  governments of  Oyo and Osun had  paid  N584 million to offset two months outstanding salaries.
The two months salaries were  said to have been  agreed upon  by government, management and the various unions.
The money was paid on January 23 and 27.
Some members of staff and  students of the institution had  resumed  while  academic activities were  yet to commence.