The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has disrupted the on going second semester examination for 2017/2018 academic session at Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, signalling that all is definitely not well at the institution.
The secretary of the union, Toyin Abegunrin, confirmed the development to PREMIUM TIMES in a telephone interview that lecturers have embarked on a two-week warning strike to express their displeasure over non-payment of salaries and decayed infrastructure of the institution.
“The matter is in public domain. Yes we commenced warning strike today,” he said.
For students of the institution who were not expecting another strike after going on a 16-month industrial action between 2016 and 2017, the hope of a stable academic calendar has now been dashed.
“We never expected this. The examinations billed for 8am this morning were disrupted. We have been asked to go home as ASUU already commenced two weeks warning strike,” Funke Ajayi, a female student told PREMIUM TIMES.
Oyedeji Hammed, a student also said that the warning strike embarked upon ASUU “is a disease which will no doubt transform into a full blown strike if care is not taken.”
“The only medication to cure the disease is protest. It’s through this (that) the government can be alerted and compelled to the needful especially now that election is around the corner. Though, it’s a warning strike of two weeks, but how are you sure that ASUU will resume work should nothing (be) done within that two weeks?
“Here we are talking of huge debts from both state owners; the two governors’ act of irresponsibility and paying of lip services. Their recalcitrant attitudes, constituted authorities, and being financially incapacitated only on education”, he said.
Earlier on Monday, the striking lecturers raised alarm that the institution might collapse over infrastructural decay in the institution, nonpayment of workers’ salaries and shortage of manpower by the state government of Osun and Oyo.
“Presently, suffering and uncertainty of survival means have become the abiding companions of staff members. After the alarm raised in (the) said release by the Union, one would expect that a sensitive government would have responded positively towards averting the looming crises.”
Mr. Abegunrin said nothing was done by the two governors, Rauf Aregbesola and Abiola Ajimobi on all the promises of the University Governing Council that led to the suspension of the previous months strike.
“It is saddening to report that up till now, the members of staff are being owed 10 months salary, promotion arrears, among other allowances.”
“We called on members of the public, up till now, no response of any sort was received”, he said.
Meanwhile, all efforts to get the reaction of the university management were unsuccessful.
When contacted, the spokesperson of the school, Lekan Fadeyi, told PREMIUM TIMES to contact the Registrar. “I am not in school, please call the Registrar”.
Also, the Registrar, Jacob Agboola, did not respond to calls and test messages sent to his line by our correspondent on the matter.
