ASUU, SSANU vow to continue strike as LAUTECH reopens today

AFTER a protracted industrial action by members of the Academic Staff Unions of Universities (ASUU), Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, reprieve came the way of students and staff members of the institution on Thursday, as it’s the Governing Council approved the resumption for today.

This was contained in a statement signed by the Public Relations Officer of the university, Mr Lekan Fadeyi, a copy of which was made available to Tribune Online in Osogbo, Osun State, on Thursday.

The statement indicated that, “the Governing Council of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, has approved resumption of activities on the Institution’s campuses with effect from Friday September 15, 2017.”

Signed by the Registrar and Secretary to Council, Mr Jacob A. Agboola, “students of the university are expected to return to school on Monday, September 25, while full academic activities, details of which Senate will announce, shall commence immediately after the Independence anniversary holiday.”

It read in part, “Council thanked the governors of Oyo and Osun states, Senator  Abiola  Ajimobi and Mr Rauf Aregbesola respectively, for agreeing to support the University with necessary funds to enable the university to return to its normal work schedule and reinvigorate its latent capacities for accelerated and sustainable growth and development.  Council also appreciated all stakeholders for their understanding and support.

“Council further appealed to students, staff, parents as well as the general public to demonstrate greater faith and dedication to the well-being of the institution, as better days lie ahead of it. Concerted efforts should, therefore, be geared towards ensuring that nothing is allowed to disrupt the normal work of the University again.”

Meanwhile, the hope of students of LAUTECH to resume today (Friday), following the directive by the institution’s Governing Council to that effect may have been dashed as the industrial unions said they were not carried along over the development.

Tribune Online findings showed that the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), LAUTECH’s chapter and its counterpart in Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU) have concluded plans to ignore the resumption order.

The chairman of ASUU in the troubled institution, Dr Biodun Olaniran and chairman of Joint Action Committee (JAC), Comrade Muriana Alesinloye, who spoke to some journalists, maintained that their members would not follow the order spanning.

The duo affirmed that the strike action embarked upon by their members, several months over unpaid 11 months salary arrears, among others, would subsist.

According to Olaniran, who is the ASUU chairman, “We (ASUU), until our demands are met, until our demands are addressed, the strike continues.”