LAUTECH ASUU declares indefinite strike

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, (LAUTECH) Ogbomoso, on Friday, declared an indefinite strike.

The directive that academic staff of the institution resume the strike suspended in February was contained in a statement signed by the staff union’s chairman, Dr Biodun Olaniran and secretary, Dr Toyin Abegunrin.

Olaniran explained that three weeks’ wait for the release of the White Paper or audit panel report lapsed on Friday, adding that the strike would be indefinite and comprehensive.

The statement read, “This is to inform our members that the National Executive Council (NEC) of our union has granted the branch the permission to resume the strike action that was earlier suspended in February with immediate effect.

“This is an indefinite and comprehensive strike commencing immediately. The three weeks wait for the White Paper or audit panel report, dating back to 11th May, 2017, ended today and nothing is yet to come out.”

Prior to the strike declaration, academic staff of the institution had began offering skeletal services by invoking the “No pay, No work” principle, pointing to breaches in the agreement the union reached with the university’s management in February 2017.

The union especially noted the accumulation of salaries of seven and a half months, with the last sum received being the N584 million released by the two owner state governments of Oyo and Osun in February.

Meanwhile, the Oyo State government, on Friday, announced the indefinite closure of the Emmanuel Alayande College of Education, Oyo.

As contained in a statement by state Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Professor Niyi Olowofela, the decision followed violent protest by students of the institution over their welfare.

The statement directed students to vacate the school premises immediately, adding that law enforcement agents had been enjoined to secure lives and property of the college.

It further stated that the institution would remain shut until normalcy returned.