North-West ASUU tasks LAUTECH on varsity subvention, salary payments

The North West zone of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASSU), on Saturday in Katsina called on owner states of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, LAUTECH, Ogbomosho, Oyo state to allocate increased subventions to the university as well as pay salaries of its workforce for the past 10 months.

The union also condemned the 300 per cent hike in school fees for students of the institution which is jointly owned by the Oyo and Osun state governments.

The zonal coordinator, Sokoto zone of ASSU, Jamilu Shehu stated this on Saturday at a joint press briefing attended by the leaders of the various tertiary institutions in the zone

The  universities in the zone, include Usman Danfodio University Sokoto (UDUS), Kebbi state university of Science and Technology (KSUSTA), Umaru Musa Yar’Adua University (UMYUK), Sokoto state University (SSU), and Federal University, Dutsinma (FUDMA).

Shehu said that the institution now depended heavily on internally generated revenue, with the infrastructure of the university presently in a sorry state.

He further lamented that the institution increased school fees from N100, 000 to N300, 000 to the disadvantage of the students, and that reason was due to the underfunding of the institution by its owners.

Read Also: ASUU rejects LAUTECH N300,000 fee hike

He, therefore, called on the two states to resuscitate the institution to keep same from collapsing.

According to him, “Since 2013, the university has been greatly underfunded arising from non-release of subventions by the two states.

He said  “Consequently, staff of the university are owed 10 months’ salary arrears and are currently being paid net salary. The promotion arrears for the years 2013-2017 are yet to be paid.

“The infrastructure of the university is also in a sorry state, unbefitting of an ivory tower. The quagmire forced the Governing Council of the university to resort to the only available option of relying on IGR.

“This meant a hike in the tuition fees which is not in the interest of students, parents and indeed, educational development of the two states.”

He recalled that the situation had led to a 10-month strike by academic staff of the institution, but that nothing has improved since the industrial action was called off.

He added that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the union and state governments to address the situation, but that nothing has been done till date.

As way of getting out of the situation, ASSU Sokoto zone raised several demands that include ceding the institution to one of the states for proper funding, and for the two states to commence implementing the signed agreement.

ASUU also called on stakeholders, including religious and traditional institutions, and the federal government to intervene on the issue.

 

 

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