ASUU seeks panel of enquiry on LASU crisis

The Lagos Zone of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) yesterday called for the setting up of an independent panel of enquiry to probe the crisis at the Lagos State University (LASU) at Ojo in Lagos and the attendant sacking of seven lecturers, among others.

The Lagos Zone of ASUU, which comprises Federal and state universities in Lagos and Ogun states, urged the Kogi State government to reverse its sacking of over 150 academic workers of the State University (KSU) at Ayungba and reinstate the affected lecturers.

Addressing reporters at ASUU office at the Federal University of Agriculture (FUNAAB) in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, Lagos Zonal Coordinator, Prof. Olusiji Sowande, described the treatment meted out to their colleagues in Lagos and Kogi state universities as acts of “impunity and crude political onslaught”.

Olusiji noted that the actions were calculated to “intimidate, harass and decimate” lecturers at both institutions.

According to him, the union in the zone was mandated by its national body to look into the crises at LASU and KSU and make recommendations.

The zonal coordinator addressed reporters in company of other ASUU executives – Deji Agboola of Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU) at Ago Iwoye; Dr John Fayemi of Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED) at Ijagun in Ijebu-Ode and Dr Dele Ashiru of University of Lagos (UNILAG).

Others are: Dr Akinloye Oyewumi of Lagos State University (LASU) and Dr Adebayo Oni of FUNAAB.

Sowande said members of the union at LASU were being hounded by the Vice-chancellor, Prof. Lanre Fagbohun, for demanding the constitution of a functional budget monitoring committee.

The zonal coordinator also said members asked for evidence of proper utilisation of the N1.3 billion NEEDs Assessment Revitalisation fund released to the institution in 2013.

He added that the union’s members incurred the wrath of LASU management when they called for the implementation of Earned Academic Allowances components of the ASUU-FGN 2009 Agreement.

Sowande said the union had written a letter to the visitor to the institution, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, over the matter.

The union leader expressed ASUU’s displeasure over the recent increment of acceptance fee from N10,000 to N20,000 by the institution.

He said: “ASUU’s Lagos Zone joins the Education Right Campaign in calling for an independent panel of enquiry into the unfolding crisis at LASU with a view to resolving it before the crisis becomes a monster that will be difficult to curtail.

“We call on Governor 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. But we are going to resist it.

“We want an independent panel of enquiry to be set up by the Visitor, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode. If this is not done, the problem will keep recurring.

“A case in point is that of the Treasurer of LASU branch, Dr. Oluwakemi Aboderin-Sonibare, who was queried for demanding that her promotion should be correctly dated.”