ACADEMIC Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Ladoke Akintola University of Technology chapter said the poor funding of the institution by the owner states of Oyo and Osun is killing the morale of the workers and seriously affecting the record best state University in Nigeria.
The Association, in a press statement, issued and signed by the Chairperson, Dr Oladele A Olaniran and the Acting Secretary of the union, Dr P.T Abegunrin, tasked the owner state to wake up to their responsibilities and release the subventions of about 21 month, which according to the Oyo State eight moths, May and June 2015; Janury-June 2016, Osun State, 13 months, July-December 2014, July – December 2015, July 2016.
The union noted that “the achievements of the University in the past may not be unconnected with adequate funding. However, the last time it could be said the University enjoyed good funding was during the era of the duo of Chief Bisi Akande and Late Alhaji Lam Adesina as governors of Osun and Oyo state respectively”
“In recent times, the two states, Oyo and Osun, have failed in releasing subventions to the university. This has forced the university management to pay staff salaries with internally generated revenue, which in the first instance, is not meant for that purpose. The decision of the management is to keep the university moving. However, it was observed at the beginning that such option is not sustainable and, the university management kept on struggling until the ship was brought to shore.”
The union said further that “a good university that has been producing graduates of international standards now come to a point where the whole system is aground because school fees are not paid, while a university adjudged the best state university in the country some time ago is now moving in the opposite direction of the glory.”
The importance of education in development, even in governance cannot be undermined without negative consequences, the government of the two states of LAUTCEH are therefore called upon to rise up to their financial responsibilities of the University” the concluded.
