The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso has said lecturers would continue their strike until owner-states agree to pay N7.6 billion outstanding subvention.
The ASUU Chairman in LAUTECH, Dr. Biodun Olaniran, who spoke with The Guardian at the weekend on the issue said that the owner states owe institution about N7.6 billion and that out of this, Osun State owes N5.3 billion, while Oyo State is owing about N2.3 billion.
He said: “While we understand the economic situation of the country, we have to think about our welfare too. We cannot continue to be owed salaries and subventions by the owners.
“We are talking about a workable payment plan of the balance of subventions owed by the owners, our salaries and other wages.” Explaining that the action is to protect its members and also the institution’s students, the union cited insincerity on the part of the owners-states and lack of their commitment as the other reasons responsible for their latest decision.
The lecturers have been on strike since June 2, 2016 with academic activities in the institution paralysed since then. Olaniran said the union wants to start on a clean slate in 2017. “We don’t want them to plunge the school into huge debts that will choke it. Our position is straightforward. It is not tied to salaries but the sustainable funding of the university.
The ASUU chairman disclosed: “The two states are supposed to give LAUTECH N295 million as subventions every month but they have not been doing this. The two states just paid LAUTECH N500 million. This is not enough. Is it going to be monthly or how? They have to state this and assure us that from January 2017, they will no longer owe. If this is not done, we will resume and go back to the starting point very soon.”
He insisted that the two states must commit themselves to prove that they were ready to defray the outstanding subvention. On the meeting it held with the alumni association of the school last week, the union chairman said the meeting was called to explain the situation to the body (alumni). They expressed sympathy and promised to wade into the matter.