•Semester exams end indefinitely
THE ongoing second semester examinations at the Olabisi Onabanjo University(OOU) Ago-Iwoye ended abruptly yesterday as the lecturers began a “sit-at-home” action.
They are protesting against the non-payment of the over 23 months unpaid subvention arrears owed the university by the government.
Hundreds of students, who came to the school for the semester examination which began last week, returned home disappointed as there were no lecturers to supervise the examinations.
The lecturers elected to adopt “sit-at-home” approach, following a decision reached at the conclusion of the Congress of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) yesterday at the institution’s permanent site.
The ASUU Chairman, Dr. Deji Agboola, who addressed reporters, said members have decided to stop further activities until the government pays the subvention arrears totalling N3.5 billion.
Agboola is an associate professor and Head of Department, Morbid Anatomy and Histopathology of the university’s teaching hospital (OOUTH).
He said the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), which the university management had been using to pay workers’ salaries had “dried up”.
He said they were last paid in June by the management while there was also no assurance that members would be paid the July salaries, lamenting the government’s unwillingness to fulfil its promises in the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed with ASUU in December 2015.
According to him, the management had to resort to keep paying workers’ salaries with IGR at the expense of other needs of the university.
Agboola said the 70:30 ratios contributions by government and OOU salary payment had practically turned to zero per cent contribution, saying government had abdicated its funding responsibility to the university.
“The situation at OOU has now reached a breaking point. The IGR fund, which was being diverted to pay salaries, dried up. To us as academics, a situation where funds meant for specific programme heads are diverted is not only unacceptable; it is fraudulent. This fraud must stop at some point,” he said.
The action, according to Agboola, would affect the ongoing second semester examination.
The Zonal Coordinator, Lagos Zone of ASUU, Professor Siji Sowande, who was represented by Dr. Bayo Akinsanya, said he was in support of the decision taken by ASUU chapter.