ASUU demands panel of inquiry over LASU crisis

The Academic Staff Union of Universities(ASUU), Lagos Zone, is demanding the setting up of a panel of inquiry into the crisis rocking the Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, Lagos State.

The crisis is over an alleged sack of seven academic staff of the institution, among others.

They also called on the Kogi State Government to reverse the sack of over 150 members of the academic staff of Kogi State University (KSU), Anyingba.

The Lagos Zonal Coordinator of ASUU, Prof. Olusiji Sowande made the call when he addressed journalists on Wednesday at the ASUU office in Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta.

Sowande said that the zone was mandated by the national body of the union to look into the crises at LASU and KSU and give recommendations.

He was accompanied by other ASUU executives, Prof. Deji Agboola of Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye, Dr John Fayemi of Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijagun, and Dr Dele Ashiru of University of Lagos.

Others are Dr Akinloye Oyewumi of Lagos State University and Dr Adebayo Oni of FUNAAB.

Sowande lamented the treatment meted to members of the union both in LASU and KSU.

In LASU, he claimed that members of the union were being hounded by the vice-chancellor, Prof. Lanre Fagbohun, for demanding the constitution of a functional budget monitoring committee.

He said that members had also asked for evidence of proper utilisation of the N1.3 billion NEEDs Assessment Revitalisation fund released to the institution in 2013.

He said they equally called for the implementation of Earned Academic Allowances components of the ASUU-FGN 2009 Agreement.

The zonal coordinator said the union had written a letter to the visitor to the institution, the Governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode, over the issue.

He said the union members also expressed displeasure over the recent increment of acceptance fee from N10, 000 to N20, 000 by the institution.

“ASUU Lagos zone joins the Education Right Campaign in calling for an independent panel of inquiry on the unfolding crisis in LASU with a view to resolving it.

“We call on the governor of Lagos State, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, to call some of his functionaries to order as there are evidences that they are working in tandem with the Vice Chancellor of LASU and some members of the governing council to fuel the crisis in LASU.

“Our union should not be held responsible for any eventual crisis in LASU.

“The real motive of the LASU’s management for hounding our members is to silence them and we are going to resist it.

“We want an independent panel of inquiry to be set up by the visitor, governor Akinwunmi Ambode. If this is not done, the problem will keep recurring,” he said.

On Kogi Varsity crisis, Sowande condemned the sacking of 150 members of the academic staff of the university, describing it as impunity and high-handedness by the state Governor, Yahaya Bello.

He urged the state government to reverse the decision on the sack of the 150 academic staff of the Kogi State University.