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Tag: LASU

  • We didn’t divert university Pension Fund — LASU Magt.

    Lagos State University (LASU) has described as false and baseless a publication accusing its management of diverting N198 million staff pension fund to buy luxury cars.

    LASU Spokesman, Ademola Adekoya, said in a statement on Monday that at no time did the university borrowed from its Staff Contributory Fund to finance accreditation expenses.

    Adekoya said the university only borrowed N474 million from its provision and not from pension fund in order to meet past service obligations.

    “The Pension Fund for members of staff who are yet to register with Pension Fund Administrators, which is less than N100 million, is intact.

    “As a matter of practice, the university does not default in the payment of its obligations to either the Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs) or its retirees.

    ” The Lagos State Pension Commission (LASPEC), the regulatory body for pension fund, had recently commended the university for its efficiency in remittance, ” Adekoya said.

    He said the money borrowed was a proactive measure to ensure that the university did not lose its accreditation of the programmes presented to the National University Commission (NUC).

    According to him, the measure followed an information that the commission would henceforth conduct accreditation once yearly.

    “The aftermath of losing accreditation of the 37 programmes would have been devastating because the university would not be able to admit students for the programmes.

    “Further to the approval of the university’s budget by Lagos State Government and the need to urgently commence preparation for the accreditation as set by the NUC, the university took the initiative of sourcing for required funds internally, pending release of same by the state government,” he said.

    Read also: LASU Students Union election holds today

    According to him, the university was able to record over 95 per cent success in the programmes presented for accreditation, adding that all programmes presently offered in the institution were duly accredited.

    Adekoya noted that the university’s 2018 budget approved by the Lagos State Government also included the sum of N474 million for accreditation.

    He explained that the sum catered for various laboratory equipment, motor vehicles, office furniture/accessories, generators, books and manpower requirement.

    He said that all the vehicles purchased were all in the name of the university, constituting an asset of the institution.

    The university spokesman stated that the vehicles were bought from foremost Toyota dealers in Nigeria and verifiable.

    “Aside approval of budget, there are layers of checks that ensure that purchases are done in line with best practices.

    “These layers of checks include the internal audit, office of the special adviser on education, line ministries, office of the Lagos State Auditor–General and the Lagos State House of Assembly Committee on Appropriation, ” he said.

    Adekoya emphasised that the university obtained approval of the Governing Council while the Office of the Special Adviser on Education and the governor, the Visitor to the University were duly carried along in the steps taken.

    “At no time did the Pro-Chancellor and the Vice Chancellor violate the provisions of the financial guidelines of the university.

    “It must be stated at this point that there appeared to be a deliberate attempt by the author of the publication in his usual habit to use a credible platform to denigrate the relentless efforts of the present university administration.

    “His antecedents in raising frivolous, baseless and uninformed allegations against the university has not gone unnoticed,” Adekoya said.

    He, however, assured that the university remained committed to achieving the vision of its founding fathers and would continue to work under the auspices of the governing council. (NAN)

  • Statesmanship and political leadership: A festschrift for Tinubu

    A presentation by Lagos State University (LASU) Vice-Chancellor Prof Olanrewaju Fagbohun (SAN) at the 11th Bola Tinubu colloquium.

    Premised on research and anecdotal evidence, the consensus is that Nigeria is still seriously challenged by crises of unemployment, corruption, insecurity, lack of basic infrastructure, the characterisation of critical national issues by ethno-religious colouration, and the general problem of good governance.

    Poverty is still endemic, and Nigeria is struggling to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) in terms of targeting those living in vulnerable conditions, increasing access to basic resources and services, and supporting communities affected by conflict and climate-related disasters. These are issues with which successive governments have battled since independence.

    What a grounded assessment of the above challenges reveals is that the dearth of leadership, and concomitantly, critical statesmanship is still very substantial in Nigeria.

    Several scholars who have explored the role that qualitative leadership and statesmanship can play in building a persistent culture of responsibility, enduring social norms, and an institutional culture of sustainability have come to the damning conclusion that the dearth of leadership has indeed become a defining challenge.

    It is against the above background that the Lagos State University deemed it necessary to bring together distinguished scholars from across different schools of thought to share perspectives on the theme: Statesmanship and Leadership in Nigeria: Analysis of Development in Nigeria’s Fourth Republic.

    The edited book contains 22  highly analytical peer-reviewed scholarly presentations. There are two sections to the book.

    The first section contains intellectual discourses of the problematic dimensions of the competing perspectives of Statesmanship and Leadership.

    It covers topical subjects spanning the National Question including Restructuring, Political Defection and Democratic Consolidation, Godfatherism and Political Leadership, Stomach Infrastructure and Political Culture, Historical Evolution of the Party System in Nigeria and Conflict Management in Later Democracies, and, The Institutional Challenges for Successful Electoral Management.

    The second section are a set of articles which interrogates different dimensions of Asiwaju’s political leadership brand and characterisation of aspects of the National Question.

    Two chapters examine the Bureaucracy and Media in the period 1999-2007 when Asiwaju was Governor of Lagos State teasing out important parallels and lessons for political stability and economic development.

    A glimpse into other chapters show robust discussions addressing the following: the developmental vision of Tinubu and his state-building drive; a content analysis of the Jagaban brand; the crisis of fiscal federalism in Nigeria with focus on the Tinubu-Obasanjo confrontation on creation of Local Government and the Federation Account.

    Whilst one article attempts to assess Tinubu’s contribution to pan-Africanism, two other articles attempt the psychological and sociological profiling of Tinubu as a ‘charismatic’ in a classical Weberian sense. A final article examines the place of Tinubu in the Yoruba political space.

    The authorship is a constellation of decorated scholars, with a Foreword by the Honourable Minister for Power, Housing and Works Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), a preface by distinguished Prof Peter Okebukola (OFR) and commendation by Prof Adebayo Ninalowo, Pro-Chancellor and Chairman, Governing Council of Lagos State University. This volume was carefully planned to be top notch from conception.

    This book does not pander to Asiwaju; indeed there are copious constructive criticisms aimed at offering the honoree some feedbacks.

    Why Asiwaju Tinubu

    His Excellency Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a pan-African leader whose charity in public service and political leadership is already firmly rooted.

    Asiwaju is a natural curator of talents and a rallying point of what is possible in pursuit of excellence in leadership and statesmanship. Through his foresight, Lagos remains Nigeria’s Centre of Excellence. His political leadership skills continue to inspire progressive aspirations across the nook and cranny of Africa.

    In the context of epistemology and teachings, the heritage of a Bola Tinubu is neither problematic nor complex for his followers and any curious thinker to identify. Just like Marx, Bola Tinubu’s is a theory of ideas and reality. He understands the primacy of reality and the determination of ideas by reality.

    The way Tinubu started the new Lagos anchored on the notion of an overall blueprint is idealism. On the other hand, his response of looking inwards when Lagos State was seriously challenged by the decision of the Obasanjo administration to withhold the funds allocated to Local Government Councils in Lagos is reflective of the ideology of a realist.

    For this same reason, a Bola Tinubu in engaging with other nationalists will neither elevate historicist assumption nor view it as ontologically more real than current facts or the facts of experience. In this respect, beyond petty partisanship and tribalism, Asiwaju believes that if we try, we can always find the common ground that will take Nigeria beyond ill-feeling that are mostly based on misunderstanding.

    The Lagos State University seeks to leverage on the Tinubu brand and legacy to inspire current and future generations of leaders, statesmen and self-effacing visionary leaders.

    This is a prelude to the Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu Spirit of Africa Awards and Annual Lecture Series which the Lagos State University will host later in the year.

    On behalf of our Visitor, His Excellency Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, the Governing Council, and the entire Lagos State University community, we wish His Excellency, Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu, a happy birthday!

  • LASU Students Union election holds today

    LAGOS State University (LASU) Vice Chancellor (VC) Prof Olanrewaju Fagbohun has promised that today’s Students Union election will be free, fair and credible.

    He told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday, on the sidelines of a political debate organised by the university for the aspirants, that students will vote electronically.

    The election was earlier slated for sometime last year, but was postponed because of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) strike.

    Fagbohun said management would work with the LASU Students Union (LASUSU) and Independent Electoral Committee (IEC) to ensure a hitch-free poll.

    Activities pertaining to the election, he said,  were being handled by the students’ body, to prevent interference from the authority.

    Read also: Three feared killed, policemen injured in Lagos clash

    “The students are conducting the election themselves as part of our adopted strategy as a management to train our students for leadership roles.

    “So, what we are doing is to give them support.

    “We believe that allowing them to conduct these activities will make them to understand what it means to do something that is fair and credible.

    “This is part of the leadership and mentorship we must give to them.”

  • LASU suspends remittance of ASUU members’ check-off dues

    Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, has suspended the remittance of check-off dues for its lecturers who are members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

    Spokesman Ademola Adekoya told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday in Lagos

    that remittance of the check-off dues into the Union Bank accounts remained suspended, pending when the management and operation of the account(s) would be regularised.

    “In the circumstance, the vice chancellor, in the exercise of his supervisory and general responsibility to the council to maintain good order, has directed the suspension of remittance of check-off dues of members.

    “The remittance of check-off dues into ASUU-LASU bank accounts remains suspended pending when the management and operation of the account(s) are regularised,” he said.

    Adekoya said the management’s decision followed receipt of a petition signed by about 70 per cent of the ASUU-LASU members.

    He said the petition alleged that the union erstwhile chairman, Dr. Isaac Oyewunmi, is still part of those operating the bank account of the union, despite being a worker of another institution.

    NAN reports that the LASU Governing Council on September 7, 2017 dismissed Oyewunmi for misconduct bordering on extortion of money from students and Dr. Adebowale Adeyemi-Suenu, the former vice chairman of ASUU-LASU.

    Adeyemi-Suenu was also dismissed for misconduct bordering on manipulation of students’ results.

    Adekoya said by virtue of their dismissal, they ceased to be members of ASUU-LASU from September 7, 2017.

    “But reports reaching the management confirmed that Oyewunmi and Adeyemi-Suenu had illegally been collecting monthly allowances of N50,000 each from the general monthly deductions of ASUU-LASU members.

    “The petitioners further alleged that the management is acting in concert with the executive of ASUU-LASU to defraud members of ASUU-LASU.

    Read also: Those scheming to turn Buhari against me will fail, says Amosun

    “The summary of the response of the secretary of ASUU-LASU is that the above issues concern the internal workings of the union and relate to the interpretation of the union’s constitution and code of practice.

    “The relevant financial institutions of the Union Bank account have, however, confirmed that Oyewunmi, as at January 9, is a signatory to the bank accounts of ASUU-LASU,” he said.

    Adekoya said managing and operating the ASUU-LASU bank accounts by Oyewunmi bordered on criminal conspiracy, fraud and corruption.

    He said the management would not allow the mechanisms of the university to be used to aid and abet fraud and corruption.

  • LASU will get Faculty of Pharmacy, says Sanwo-Olu

    The Lagos State governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has assured members of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) that he will give the Lagos State University (LASU) a Faculty of Pharmacy, if elected next year.

    Sanwo-Olu made the promise yesterday during his interaction with the state chapter of the society.

    The APC candidate noted that after more than three decades of existence, the state university should be a centre of academic excellence for the production of manpower in pharmacy.

    He said: “To strengthen the profession and boost manpower in the field of Pharmacy, I am convinced that our state university should have a Faculty of Pharmacy. If elected, we will make sure LASU, within our four years, have a Faculty of Pharmacy. It is not just right that we have a medical college without a Faculty of Pharmacy. I promise you that our government will ensure that everything is done to make a Faculty of Pharmacy a reality for the state-owned university.

    “As a professional body of pharmacists, I will implore you to give us a position paper on what we need to do that will enable us achieve our objective. I can assure that as government, we will do all within our powers to make it a reality.”

    The APC candidate told the pharmacists the importance he attached to their profession and the Health sector.

    He added: “Your profession is one of the most important fields of human existence. No one can joke with the Health sector. So, when I received your invitation, I pledged to attend this event, regardless of my other schedules because it is about health and we must listen to you.”

    The chairman of the state chapter of the PSN, Mrs. B. T. O. Adeniran, urged Sanwo-Olu to help pharmacists in the state when he gets to government.

    She described turnaround time in getting drugs at government hospitals across the state as cumbersome.

    “We need the government to look into the welfare and working condition of pharmacists working in Lagos State. We want an upward review of salary and allowances. On capacity development, we need more training for our members so that we can serve the state and the public better as integral part of the health system,” Mrs Adeniran said.

     

  • LASU cautions students against paying into undesignated accounts

    Lagos State University (LASU), has warned applicants, students, individuals and groups against paying into undesignated accounts

    Its spokesman, Ademola Adekoya, said yesterday that the warning followed reports that some of those who wanted to make pay the university, had fallen victims of scammers.

    “The warning is necessary, following reports that some individuals, who in a bid to make payments to the university for one purpose or the other, fell victims of the antics of scammers.

    “The scammers used personal accounts to extort money in the name of the university,” Adekoya said in a statement.

    The university said any payment made to any individual account, other than the university’s official accounts, would be at the payer’s risk.

     

  • Protect LASU, VC charges alumni association

    Prof. Olanrewaju Fagbohun, Vice-Chancellor, Lagos State University (LASU), has identified alumni associations as major stakeholders in the development of their alma mater, as members carry certificates of their institutions for life.

    Fagbohun, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, (NAN) on Friday in Lagos, charged the LASU alumni association to be proactive and not allow anyone use the institution as a bedlam of crisis.

    “The moment for the LASU alumni to work is now. Lanre Fagbohun will go, others will go, but if you (alumni) are not working, there will be trouble.

    “The alumni must be proactive now and stop sleeping. They must not allow anyone to use LASU as a bedlam of crisis, “he said

    According to him, this is key because the university is at a stage where it competes with the very best around the globe because it is aiming at being the best.

    Read Also: VC: LASU mustn’t fall back into dark years

    Fagbohun said the competition between the institution and others earned it selection by the World Bank as an Africa Centre of Excellence recently.

    “An Africa Centre of Excellence does not permit for strikes or crises because we will be attracting foreign students, so we must be proactive and strategic.

    “LASU as an African Centre of Excellence is now viewed as a philosopher and is expected to think of the gap in the system and how to solve it,” he said.

    According to the Vice-Chancellor, the university is also hopeful of being selected in some other bids it put in for international centres.

    Fagbohun appealed to the university’s alumni association not to desecrate the institution or allow anyone do so.

    He said this was important so that LASU would not go back to its dark ages when it was synonymous with crisis.

    “Benefactors will run away from LASU if we go back to the dark ages, as no one will invest in a place where there is crisis, “he said.

    (NAN)

  • LASU rolls out the drum as Caverton boss, Makanjuola donates lecture theatre

    The need for private sector to collaborate with government to develop the country’s education sector dominated discourse  on Thursday when businessman, philanthropist and Chairman, Caverton Offshore Support Group, Mr. Aderemi Makanjuola donated  a 500-seater ultra-modern lecture theatre to the Lagos State University (LASU) to commemorate his 70th birthday.

    Inaugurating the lecture theatre, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode urged the private sector, corporate organisations and individuals to join hands with government to move Nigeria’s education sector to greater height.

    The event attracted dignitaries from all walks of life. They included the Pro-Chancellor of University of Lagos, Dr. Wale Babalakin; Chairman of Honeywell Group, Mr. Oba Otudeko; Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu; Pro-Chancellor of LASU, Prof. Adebayo Ninalowo; LASU Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Olarenwaju Fagbohun and Prof. Akin Oyebode who delivered the commemoration lecture, among others.

    Governor Ambode expressed his gratitude to Mr. Makanjuola for building such exceptional edifice and said government needed more of this gesture from individuals and corporate organisations to address infrastructural deficit in the education sector. He noted that while it was a fact that education was bedrock for national development, running a quality education system is capital-intensive. He also stressed that the competing demand of different sectors of the economy and the scarce resource available, government needed support of individuals and corporate organisations to provide adequate infrastructure for public schools. “Whatever we need to do in terms of endowment we need to start thinking about legacies that we will leave behind for posterity,” he said.

    Speaking at the event,  the donor and Chairman, Caverton Offshore Support Group, Mr. Makanjuola said his desire to give back to society, especially LASU, was borne out of his involvement with the institution; having been part of the Governing Council since late 80s. “Education is important and I believe if we have good environment for education, students will excel. I felt that I should do something because when you help people you are helping yourself. “Again, anything for Lagos should be the best. I went to the University of Leicester in United Kingdom and I felt Lagos, Centre of Excellence deservers the best that I must give back,” he said.

    Makanjuola thanked his guardian since childhood, Alhaji Jimoh Gbadamosi for his support. His virtues and values, he said, made what he is today. He thanked his wife, Yoyinsola for her support in raising the children.

    On the building, he said the governor did a lot to ensure that the building was erected. The crop of lecturers is committed and it helped to complete the building within six months. Let’s continue to invest in infrastructure.

    Makanjuola encouraged all to be of help to mankind and be forward-looking.

    “Opportunities are there and that is why we should encourage the younger ones. I remember when we started Caverton, nobody gave us a chance. But today here we are,” he said.

    In his opening prayer, Chief Missioner, Ansar-Ur-Deen Society of Nigeria, Sheik Abdulraham commended the business tycoon for show of kindness.

    “He is a man of means who places posterity above prosperity by investing in education. The donation of the lecture theatre to LASU is a manifestation of his marvelous worldview. This is a selfless service to humanity. I don’t know him to be a politician. He is a man who believes in today and tomorrow by investing in the youth. If we have people like Aderemi Makanjuola, there is hope in this country. God will continue to enrich him with good health,” he said.

    In his remarks, the Vice-Chancellor, Lagos State University, Prof. Fagbohun expressed appreciation to the Lagos State government for giving the university a face-lift. The gesture, he said, boosts the confidence of both students and teachers of the institution and even made the alumni proud of this beautiful citadel of learning.

    Fagbohun described Makanjuola as a benefactor and hero.

    “Since the establishment of the institution, it has produced eminent people who have gone out to shape both socio-political economy of the nation. Government has changed the narrative by changing it from a perceived glorified secondary school to a university that one can be proud of. His commitment, no doubt, has opened flood gates of goodwill which we are benefitting from today from unassuming businessman and philanthropist. Today, that 500-seater lecture theatre is standing tall and it has changed the landscape of LASU. The name Remi Makanjuola has now become part of the legacy of LASU,” he said.

    Pro-Chancellor and Chairman, Governing Council, Prof. Ninalowo extolled the virtue of Caverton boss whom he described as a distinguished Nigerian with a noble gesture: humble, unassuming and gentleman.

    “I respect this man for his simplicity. He is a generous man whose generosity cuts across and I am not surprised that LASU benefitted from the gesture. This is not the first lecture theatre he will be donating. He donated one in Minna, early this year; he donated one at SUMMIT University in Offa, Kwara State in memory of his late mother. This is the third one. We are indeed grateful,” he stated.

    In his speech Babalakin, Chairman of Bi-Courtney Group also canvassed “more funds for higher institutions. He said it is a self-protective policy to spend more on education sector.

    He said: “If we fail to develop our universities, we will face the consequence in the future. So, we must meaningfully invest in Nigerian education sector for the sake of posterity.

    “Nigeria’s education sector was at a cross roads and needed more funds to perform effectively. “Education is at a cross roads today in Nigeria and if we don’t find a solution early enough, we will all regret it. If we don’t spend a lot of money on education from all sources-government, public and private, we have a long way to go.”

    In his commemoration lecture entitled “Town and Gown: Giving in the Age of Scarcity”, guest lecturer, Prof. Akin Oyebode called  on university management to seek other means of generating funds outside government subvention in order  to have adequate funds to run their institutions.

    “From every university in Nigeria from the University of Ibadan to the newest, they need more funding. So, anytime anyone thinks of university by provision of bursaries, scholarships or whatever, we are happy because we are improving the situation of our universities. Governments alone cannot undertake development projects required in our universities.

    “Facilities cannot be enough. So, governments cannot do it alone. We are not in universities to make money. We are in to improve the stock of human capital. So, we need more funds in our universities,” Oyebode said.

    Praising Makanjuola for his gesture, the retired professor said the likes of Makajuola are rare. “There is no way we can write the history of LASU without mentioning Aderemi Makanjuola. He is not a politician. He does not want a vote from us. But he simply built this lecture theatre to add value to LASU and humanity at large. The rich should take a cue from him to build facilities for our higher institutions.”

    In his goodwill message, Oba of Lagos Rilwan Akiolu described Makanjuola as an incredible man who decided to leave a legacy.

    Oba Akiolu said: “Funding of education is very important because it is the only catalyst that can change the society. Remi Makanjuola is somebody that is dear to my heart. I am not surprised at what he has done today. His father too was a generous giver. I know this will not be the end of his kind gesture in providing infrastructural projects for the education sector.”

    A friend of the donor, Mr. Akin Kekere–Ekun has this to say. “Remi Makanjuola is a man of integrity, upright, honest and impeccable character who dabbled into a terrain once reserved for the expatriates, aviation.

    “Today, he is a success story. Makanjuola I know is a committed man to his God, family and society. This is not the first time he would be committed to LASU. He donated money for research at Lagos Medical Institute. He is a man who is very much in line with education because he believes education is a gift of life. Beyond Nigeria, his alma mater, Leicester University in the United Kingdom had also benefitted from his kindness as he has contributed generously to the institution,” he said.

    Extolling the virtue of Makanjuola, All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu said:”Mr. Remi Makanjuola is a man that I have emulated in the last 30 years. As a young university leaver, he is a man I look up to and watched how he grew his business. I learnt a lot from him as a man of impeccable integrity. A man of sound mind who has dedicated his life to God and humanity.”

     

  • VC: LASU mustn’t fall back into dark years

    Lagos State University (LASU) vice chancellor (VC) Prof Olanrewaju Fagbohun has said all hands must be on deck to ensure that the institution does not fall back into its “dark years”.

    In the past, the institution was crisis-ridden, leading to its loss of the accreditation of some of its programmes in which it held sway.

    Hard hit was the Law programme in which its graduates hithterto emerged tops at the Law School.

    Speaking in Lagos at the weekend during a dinner held for him by the LASU Alumni Association to mark his attainment of the Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) rank, Fagbohun urged the group to wake up to its responsibilities.

    “be proactive in complementing the new LASU project and preventing the university from going back into the dark years,” he said.

    In her speech, Deputy Governor Idiat Adebule said the government will ensure that a worthy person succeeds Fagbohun in 2020.

    Adebule, also an alumna of the university, said selecting a capable person to succeed Fagbohun was key to sustaining the peace and progress in the university in the past three years.

    “About the fear of who will take the mantle from Prof. Fagbohun and build on the good work he has started, I admonish that you fear not, for God is always there.

    “At the appointed time, God will choose who will fit into the position, but as a government, we are not unmindful of the fact that it is our pride to pick the best person.

    “As God assisted us to pick Fagbohun, He will also guide us to pick a suitable successor. No evil person will scale through the selection process,” she said.

    Adebule hailed the VC for working for LASU’s progress, saying: “God has done it for you. I am proud of you as our VC and appreciate you for not being distracted in your set goals.

    “Thank you for keeping faith and keeping the LASU flag flying. God will protect you.

    “Mrs. Yeside Fagbohun, all the accolades of today are for you; for being a friend and supportive wife to the VC.”

    LASU Alumni Association President Gen. Cecil Esakhaigbe (retd) hailed the deputy governor for honouring the VC.

    He said the association was a platform to give back to the university.

    Esakhaigbe congratulated the VC on getting silk and for being a visionary leader and turning LASU around.

    “This is the beginning of great things to come your way. So, don’t be distracted, as there are bound to be challenges, but you will triumph.

    “LASU used to be synonymous with crisis, but things have changed in the last three years. The university now features positively in the news.

    “For those who are against peace in LASU, you will fail because there must be peace in LASU. That is not negotiable,” he said.

    Fagbohun thanked the deputy governor and the association for celebrating his achievements and the institution’s progress.

    “The deputy governor’s passion for LASU is something else, as you have always been at the forefront when it comes to anything pertaining to the institution.

    “It is not easy for you to close the gap between us, but you are determined to remain close to us,” he said.

  • ASUU strike effective in Lagos

    The Chairman, Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Lagos (UNILAG) chapter, Dr Dele Ashiru, has confirmed that lecturers of the university would comply with the national strike announced by the union on Monday.

    The ASUU chapter at the Lagos State University (LASU) is also on strike.

    Dr Ashiru said the UNILAG chapter had joined the strike even though as at the time The Nation spoke with him, the university was on holiday and he was yet to brief members about the ASUU NEC meeting he attended where the decision to start the strike was taken in Akure.

    Speaking at the UNILAG ASUU Secretariat on Monday, Ashiru said: “The University of Lagos chapter has joined the strike that we suspended in November 2017. The strike is comprehensive, total and indefinite. I have just returned from the NEC in Akure; I have scheduled an ExCO meeting for 1pm where we will deliberate on the issues raised at the NEC. After that we will call a congress on Tuesday.”

    Ashiru justified the strike, saying the Union had given the Federal Government enough time to fulfil the 2009 Agreement between both parties, which was due for re-negotiation in 2013. He said out of the N1.3 trillion the government ought to have provided for the revitalization of infrastructure in public universities, only N200 billion had been paid. He said the money was meant to improve facilities in public universities, lamenting that the government did not prioritise education. He also said the government was owing ASUU members earned academic allowances.

    Read Also: NYSC warns corps members against joining proposed strike by NLC

    “Our union entered an agreement since 2009. Only specific part of the agreement was implemented. In 2012, there was a Memorandum of Agreement; in 2013, there was another Memorandum of Agreement. The government promised to inject N1.3 trillion into the university system. It has not been done. The Jonathan government paid N200 billion. Only recently, when the govenremnt realized we were mobilizing for strike that they lied that they released N20 billion to ASUU, which was not true. From 2013 to date, our members have not been paid earned academic allowances,” Ashiru said.

    The Lagos State University (LASU) chapter of the union also announced it had joined the nationwide strike.

    “ASUU-LASU is fully on strike. Once the national ASUU declares a strike, we have no option but to join. It is not a matter of choice,” said Dr Tony Dansu, Secretary, ASUU-LASU, on phone.