The Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso is not prepared to pull out of the ongoing strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, regardless of overtures from different quarters, ASUU, Ibadan Zone, has said.
The leadership of the union spoke on Wednesday in Ogbomoso, stressing that the LAUTECH wing of ASUU believed in the long-term benefit of repositioning public universities.
Prof. Oyebamiji Oyegoke, Coordinator, Ibadan Zone of ASUU, explained that the current infrastructural face-lift and TETFUND grants which LAUTECH enjoyed were products of ASUU struggles.
“LAUTECH branch of ASUU is actively involved in the current 12 weeks roll-over strike alongside our national body to draw the attention of the Federal Government of Nigeria on the need to implement the renegotiated agreement which FGN signed with ASUU in 2009.
“Other pertinent issues included in the agreement (are) improved salary/working conditions for members; stoppage of proliferation of state and private universities; unacceptable use of IPPIS as salary payment platform; adoption of UTAS as acceptable salary payment platform and funding for revitalisation of public universities, to mention a few.
“It will be unfair and unsavoury not to give kudos to the statesmanship efforts of Engineer Seyi Makinde in resolving the problems that had stagnated the growth of LAUTECH by way of dual ownership.
“It is important to note that LAUTECH’s charter and membership of ASUU and its principled position on what public universities (whether national or state) should be and how they should be funded to make them internationally competitive has greatly aided the commendable position and standing of the institution.
“Academic staff members of ASUU in LAUTECH have sacrificed greatly to ensure that academic programmes not only run successively but also ensure that the university’s rating internationally over the years are sustained.
“Not minding the increasing students’ entries occasioned by the university popularity, the academic staff members’ strength is stretched to the brim to the extent of conducting three semesters in a session in some instances.
“The accruing Earned Academic Allowances on these excess academic exertions is one of the issues which ASUU National is agitating for,” Oyegoke said.
The Ibadan chapter of ASUU admonished parents and students to join the union to fight for their future, stressing that “As far as ASUU is concerned, its perception of developmental issues confronting Nigerians, whether political, economic, or educational, is national rather than ethnic, religious, or of any other primordial preferences. Consequently, ASUU’s focus is on public institutions, especially universities whether federal or state.
