THE Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso Chapter, has expressed concerns over the silence of the Institution’s Chancellor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Vice Chancellor and members of governor board of the institution on the crisis rocking the Institution.
ASUU chairman. Dr. Abiodun Olaniran, while speaking at the South West Group of Online Publishers Media Chart in Ibadan said the silence of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu over the matter will not help the institution.
“We are not comfortable with Asiwaju Tinubu’s silence on the matter. He has a significant role to play and we want him to quickly intervene and bring an end to the lingering crisis. Up till now, the Governing Council and management are yet to say anything over the matter and this is suspicious,” Olaniran said.
The union leader, who was accompanied to the event by the Secretary, Dr. Toyin Abegunrin, said the major problem of the institution was chronic under-funding, adding that the IGR generated by the institution is not enough to run its affairs.
“As we speak now, LAUTECH can no longer pay for utility services, hence the institution has been in darkness for some weeks because it owes IBDEC and others.”
Olaniran, however, urge the stakeholders to appeal the owner states to faithfully implement the recommendations of the Wole Olanipekun led-committee’s report.
According to him, part of the report advocated for immediate payment of N1.77b for the institution by September and another N1.77b to be paid between April and September 2017 to enable the institution come back to its feet.
Olaniran explained further that ASUU is not against forensic auditing of the University as being peddled in some quarters.
“ASUU is known for probity and accountability, we are in total support of the exercise but what we are saying the thing must be done according to the dictates of the edicts of the University.”