The academic staff union of universities (ASUU) Lagos zone has called on the governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu to constitute a visitation panel to Lagos State University (LASU) to unravel sundry issues, which the union believes are undermining the smooth running of the institution.
ASUU insists that the governor need to address the issues of the continued cover up and mismanagement of over 1.3 billion naira of NEEDS assessment funds by the administration of Olanrewaju Fagbohun, vice chancellor of LASU. Olusiji Sowande, coordinator, ASUU Lagos zone stated this in Lagos during a press conference calling on the governor to also intervene concerning the clamping down on the union leaders in the school.
Sowande stated that in the last three years, the Union in Lagos State University (LASU) has been seriously involved in engaging the LASU Administration over the illegalities and arbitrariness that have become a pattern in the administration of the University.
According to him, “Many of the issues as we have highlighted in the past have to do with abiding with the laws and regulations of the University in appointments, promotion and general administration”.
“It also has to do with the continued cover up of the mismanagement of over 1.3 billion naira of NEEDS Assessment funds by the preceding administration, which our Union continues to demand its probe”.
He said that the Union has also been very consistent in agitating for the payment of the accrued Earned Academic Allowances (EAA) of its members, which has accumulated for ten years, adding that there is no other public university in Nigeria aside LASU that has not commenced the payment of the EAA.
Sowande further said the Union drew the attention of the former visitor Akinwunmi Ambode to many of these developments via about 30 official letters, adding that in spite of assurances from many quarters in government, including the Ministry of Labour and Establishment, as well as the Head of Service, that the issues will be looked into, nothing was done. The indifference of the Past Visitor, we must say, has encouraged the continued impunity of the Vice Chancellor in LASU.
He therefore called on the present governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu urgently put a stop to the attacks on the Union by the Administration of Lagos State University.
In his words, “It is infantile for anyone to think there can be true peace in the University when ASUU becomes an object of incessant attacks on account of its principled opposition to illegalities and lawlessness”.
“While our Union is known for its conventional approach to challenges of this nature, we must make it clear that the LASU Administration, emboldened by the quietness in government quarters, is pushing towards a crisis it will soon be unable to manage. There is an endurance limit to relentless and illegal assault”, he said.
KELECHI EWUZIE
