Prof. Adeniyi Gbadegesin, the Vice-Chancellor, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, on Monday appealed to the striking lecturers of the institution to return to work.

Gbadegesin told journalists in Ogbomoso that the problem facing the university, jointly owned by Oyo and Osun, was “almost over as the owner state governments had pledged more commitment to fund it’’.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the institution was closed barely eight months ago as a result of industrial action by the academic staff of the institution.

NAN also reports that management of the institution had earlier announced that the university would re-open on Jan. 27 after eight months of closure, but the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), LAUTECH Chapter, refused to resume academic activities.

Gbadegesin said that the institution was being owed subvention arrears amounting to N7.1 billion by the owner state governments, with Oyo owing N1.8 billion, and Osun owing N5.3 billion.

“The N5.3 billion owed by Osun was from 2014 till date, while the N1.8 billion owed by Oyo was between 2015 and 2016.

“N296 million is our monthly subvention, Oyo pays from January to June, while Osun pays subvention from July to December every year,” he said.

The vice-chancellor commended Gov. Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State for initiating a meeting with the management and the university unions, which led to the payment of two months salaries.

“The union agreed with the governor at the meeting that the N250 million each to be paid by the owner states will not be enough for the payment of two months.

“They requested for additional N84 million which Gov. Ajimobi approved immediately.

“Oyo State Government has paid its N292 million, while the remaining N42 million from Osun will be paid any moment from now,” he said.

Gbadegesin said that the monthly wage bill of the institution on the average was N360 million, adding that they had been augmenting the payment with not less than N80 million.

Speaking on resumption, he said that many students had resumed and trying to settle their accommodation, while others were busy with the registration.

Gbadegesin said that in spite of the current economic challenge, Ajimobi had assured at the meeting that the agreement was tentative.

“The governor also promised to set aside some amount for the institution as soon as the state receives its share of the Paris Club excess fund,” the vice-chancellor said.

He said the institution could not be self-sustaining as a public university, adding that it needed regular subvention to function effectively.

Gbadegesin said the institution had set up a board for LAUTECH Ventures to boost its revenue, adding that the council has also agreed to establish an Institute of Software Engineering with Google Engineering.

The vice-chancellor, while acknowledging that the current hardship was due to the nation’s economic recession, said that he was yet to receive any directive on tuition fee increment.

“We are appealing to the owner state governments to continue funding the institution to achieve the dream of the founding fathers. We thank all our unions for their cooperation so far.

“I will like our striking lecturers to consider the interest of the students and return to work.

“The management and staff are determined to ensure the students get the best from the institution,” he said.

Gbadegesin also thanked parents for their concern and patience during the eight months strike. (NAN)

http://www.kikiotolu.com/2017/01/lautech-vc-pleads-with-lecturers-to.html

Lalasticlala Mynd44 seun Dominique

Good moves but it just that people are not happy with the constituted authority

F*cked up education system

K

Nice move...But na una know oo

Plead kee

K

Ok

Pleads indeed... Plead on!

He should grant their demands that all.

Work without money and food in the stomach. Weldon sir

Well, the lecturers want a salary increase....and the funding is not enough to guarantee that...especially as it is coming from the states,not the Federal Government.

So, the VC has to increase school fees so that they can get more money to pay the lecturers their new improved salaries...and provide new equipment of course.

Before anyone quotes me to blast me....consider that running universities is a very expensive prospect. You have to pay for the university to work. And right now...fees less than N50000 ($100) or even 150000 ($300) are not enough to keep a university running well. All those nice universities abroad have fees as high as $20000 and above. And many Nigerians who go there pay the fees without complaint.

FG should just take over this school

samkay3g:
FG should just take over this school

FG that has been having issues funding the universities it does own since 2009?

Taking over LAUTECH would just be additional burden. And funding would drop even further....meaning raise in school fees.

The Vc has been a blessing in disguise to Lautech

Geonigga:
He should grant their demands that all.

The sad thing is that the demands need billions of naira to fulfill. And I think that the owner governments don't have the cash right now.

h.m

Nice move! ASUU abegi help my solution..
lol

This is annoying mehnn!!!

this school don tire me...why dem talk say make we resume b4..management dey smoke weed??

Make dem go try am for unilorin stuppid lecturers.

9jakohai:
[s]Well, the lecturers want a salary increase....and the funding is not enough to guarantee that...especially as it is coming from the states,not the Federal Government.

So, the VC has to increase school fees so that they can get more money to pay the lecturers their new improved salaries...and provide new equipment of course.

Before anyone quotes me to blast me....consider that running universities is a very expensive prospect. You have to pay for the university to work. And right now...fees less than N50000 ($100) or even 150000 ($300) are not enough to keep a university running well. All those nice universities abroad have fees as high as $20000 and above. And many Nigerians who go there pay the fees without complaint.[/s]

stop spilling trash if u dnt knw wat average and poor nigerians are goin tru to see dat $100 or $300 u called just...
Even a single politician can run a university in Nigeria talk of two states running a university...
If u say dat many Nigerians go to foreign universities nd paying $20000 without complain, is it average or poor pple children that can't even manage to get a room to stay in skul until he get a room mate or squirt wit som1 that wil pay $20000 without complain...
The pple that can't finance and run our own university here successfully are same pple sending their children to those foreign skul and paying such amount without complain...
Pls next tym think b4 u post dis kinda trash not posting b4 u think

They should not resume if this corrupt folks wont pay them up. If they should resume they can as much forget receivin any more pay for dis yeye buhari time.

buhari see Wetin u cause..... Nah so so bad record u dey break for ur own regime.......

Can't our universities be self sustainable?

That's good

ishowdotgmail:
Osun #5.3b: Onigbese ni Ogbeni Aregbesola yi sha


Apayan gan ni pelu

Odaju tun ni.

Raufu ki se Omoluabi rara.

Atunbotan awon odaju o ni da.

Baba4dgals:
stop spilling trash if u dnt knw wat average and poor nigerians are goin tru to see dat $100 or $300 u called just...
Even a single politician can run a university in Nigeria talk of two states running a university...
If u say dat many Nigerians go to foreign universities nd paying $20000 without complain, is it average or poor pple children that can't even manage to get a room to stay in skul until he get a room mate or squirt wit som1 that wil pay $20000 without complain...
The pple that can't finance and run our own university here successfully are same pple sending their children to those foreign skul and paying such amount without complain...
Pls next tym think b4 u post dis kinda trash not posting b4 u think

1.Now , now.....we aren't re-enacting the Battle of Jenkins' Ear....or the battle of Teutoborg Forest (Varus, give me back my legions!)

2.Basically, funds to states have fallen thanks to the fall in our major revenue. That means that funds available to fund universities has also fallen.And when that happens....funds must be found...and it means basically that fees have to be raised.

3.The average budget to run a proper university (stress on proper, globally competitive university)...is $300million. Money needed not only to pay salaries, but to keep equipment up to date, provide funding for research, provide decent accommodation for students,and so on. Most Nigerian universities on a good day can only get up to $10million.And such funding has been increasingly difficult since 2009...when FG and ASUU concluded an agreement for N3 trillion extra funding over the next two years...that was later cut down to N1trillion over the next five years...which has not been fully paid.(There is a cold reason for why Nigerian universities cannot compete , or are not in the top 100 African universities....)

4.Your average politician ....loots well...sums not up to $1million. Sometimes $2million. Certainly not $10million. Sure some of the politicians have started universities.....until you check the fees....and see how sky high they are.That is because of ''running costs''. It is easy to start up a university....but to keep running it year after year.

5.Our parents were able to go to school cheaply because

a) The number of university, until 1980...was just 9.Easy to fund.
b)The number of students was low. In 1979...80,000 students attended those 9 universities. Funding was easy. Now...we have millions stretched across 50 unis owned by govt....and funding for education in this year's budget was not up to N1 trillion...far below ASUU'S N3trillion agreed in 2009.(And we have issues in primary and secondary education too...THEY need money).

Sorry I made you angry....but LAUTECH needs cash....and since subvention is falling...it is either fees go up...or taxes go up. Like in Denmark..where education is free....in return for the average Danish citizen paying half his salary in taxes. You want that?