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Hope Dims For LAUTECH Students As SSANU, NASU, NAAT Threaten Strike

According to a statement by the organisations' Joint Action Committee, the proposed strike "is as a result of the nonchalant attitude of the two owner state governments in meeting their financial responsibilities to the university, in terms of payment of subventions for both recurrent and capital expenditure".

The Joint Action Committee (JAC), comprising the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) and Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU), Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) chapter, have threatened to go on strike unless there are “concerted efforts from all the stakeholders in the university".

This was the submission after a meeting of the organisations on Monday.

According to a statement signed by Alesinloye Muraina, the JAC Chairman, the proposed strike is a consequence of the attitude of the Oyo and Osun state governments towards LAUTECH staff.

“The Joint Action Committee (JAC) comprising Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) and Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) LAUTECH chapter, write to use this medium to inform and notify the well-meaning people of Oyo and Osun states and Nigeria in general of the true state of our university – LAUTECH – and to intimate you of the looming industrial action in the university if concerted efforts from all the stakeholders in the university is absent," read the statement.

“This is as a result of the nonchalant attitude of the two owner state governments in meeting their financial responsibilities to the university, in terms of payment of subventions for both recurrent and capital expenditure."

SaharaReporters gathered that there has been a breach of the agreement made in 2017 between the two governments. The unions suspended the protracted industrial action, which had lasted for almost 16 months, on October 23, 2017, after series of internal and external interventions.

The statement continued: “By the time the unions convened the congress to review the industrial action, which was later suspended, the staff salary arrears was 13 months in arrears: August, September, October, November and December 2016 and March, April, May, June, July, August, September and October 2017. The Governing Council approved the payment of three months of September and October 2017, with an advance salary of November 2017.

“Based on the payment of the three months’ salaries, the unions suspended their industrial action, and academic and administrative activities resumed immediately. The unions took this decision relying on the caveat in the ‘Memorandum of Action’ duly entered with the Governing Council and management that ‘in the event of any breach of this memorandum, the unions will be at liberty to take any legitimate action that it deems fit to redress the breach.”

Speaking during a telephone conversation with SaharaReporters, Muraina expressed his displeasure over “the nonchalant attitudes of the two governments”.

Noting that the unions are ready to embark on strike as soon as possible, he said: “We are only waiting for the order of the national chairmen of the unions. Once we get an order from him, we are going on another industrial action.”

Speaking for the students, Abiodun Oluwaseun, the Students’ Union President of the school, lamented the situation, describing the governors of the two states as “shameless and careless of the future of the students”.

He continued: “We have begged ASUU to call off the ongoing strike to, at least, allow us finish our examination. As it is now, we just hope the ‘the constituted authorities’ will listen to our cry.”