Vice Chancellor, Students Locked Out As ASUU, NASU Members Protest In Lagos University
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU) have blocked the main entrance of the Lagos State University (LASU) over the payment of the minimum wage.
The free flow of vehicular movement was hindered by the protesting members who gathered as early as 7:00 am and prevented both students and lecturers from gaining entrance.
Those locked out of the school include the Vice-Chancellor of the University, Professor Olanrewaju Fagboun.
All attempt by the Vice-Chancellor to dialogue with NLC, ASUU, NASU members was not successful, as they insist that no one will be allowed into the university premises until their demands are met by the state government.
They claimed that an increment in their salaries was promised by the Lagos State government more than a year ago and the promise was yet to be fulfilled.
The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu two weeks earlier announced that tertiary institutions in the state will be reopened today, September 14, 2020, after been shut for six months due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Lagos Govt Reacts
Lagos State government in reaction to the protest said it expects the institution to be responsible in the application of its subventions.
The state government in a statement signed by Tokunbo Wahab, the Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Education said the sum of N450 million is paid monthly to the institution as subvention.
“We wish to state categorically that Lagos State University, like other subvented MDAs, collects the sum of N450,000,000.00 every month from the Lagos State Government as Subvention.
“The Government expects the institutions to also be responsible in the application of the funds and the staffing of the institutions. We must also have at the back of our mind that they have IGR which they generate and not accountable to the government on how the same is expended,” the statement read in part.
Aside the subvention, the government said it is also responsible for the infrastructural developments of the institutions and other ancillary things.
This according to the government include the payment for accreditation exercise for which the last one cost the government close to N500million and the approval of 8,000 plus bed hostel in the institution.
“We expect the management of these institutions to pay up their staff salaries to avoid situations that look more like deliberate sabotaging of the efforts of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu led administration as we prepare for schools resumption this week,” Wahab concluded.