ASUU blasts APC leader, Tinubu over LAUTECH, threatens indefinite strike

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), LAUTECH chapter has
berated the governments of Osun and Oyo, which are joint owners of the
university for abandoning the institution despite promises earlier
made by the duo.

The union accused Governors Abiola Ajimobi and Rauf Aregbesola of
running the citadel aground through their lackadaisical approach to
the need of the institution.

The Zonal Coordinator of ASUU in Ibadan, Dr. Ade Adejumo, at a press
conference in Osogbo, the Osun state capital, said all conditions
spelt out in the Memorandum of Action (MoA) signed with the Governing
Council of the school on behalf of the two states have been
practically reneged upon with impunity.

He added that the only response the union got after resumption from
the protracted strike early this year was the 1bn (one billion Naira)
released by the Osun State government, which was used to pay three
months salaries.

Adejumo however chided the National Leader of All Progressives
Congress (APC), Alhaji Bola Tinubu, who holds sway as the Chancellor
of the University for keeping mute while the crisis continues to
degenerate.

He wondered the essence of Tinubu retaining the position of the
Chancellor if he could not intervene and save the institution from
collapse.

"Reneging on agreement reached at the point of suspending the
protracted strike, coupled with passive response of the two owner
governments towards the present challenges facing the University were
indeed an height of irresponsibility on the part of the two governors.

"As I speak to you, every thing is in limbo at LAUTECH. We have almost
lost accreditation for all our courses because there is no funding to
carry out research and equip our laboratories and libraries.

"Staff are not being motivated to passionately impact knowledge as
there are huge backlog of salaries and allowances.

"As a result of this anomaly, many lecturers have left while many have
retired, and there has not been replacement in the last 10 years
thereby rendering the institution highly understaffed.

"We are calling on the two Governors of Oyo and Osun to let the
general public know if they are tired and could no longer fund the
University,

"They should come out and disclose their plans for LAUTECH. If they
want to liquidate the University, they should be bold enough to tell
the whole world that they are doing so.

"We are currently on two weeks warning strike. We are by this action
calling the attention of stakeholders to the fact that LAUTECH is on
the brink of final disintegration."