By Our Citizen Reporter. It is not a rocket science to investigate why none of the Nigerian universities is among the top ten univers...
By Our Citizen Reporter.
Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso (formerly Oyo State University of Technology) was established on the 23rd of April, 1990 by the military administration of the then Col. Adedeji Sasaeniyan Oresanya of Oyo State. At the creation of Osun state in 1991, the ownership status of the university changed; being owned by the new sister states (i.e. Oyo and Osun), a situation that ordinarily put the university at an advantage over other state universities.
It is not a rocket science to investigate why none of the Nigerian universities is among the top ten universities in Africa despite abundant natural resources and dependable manpower in Nigeria.
No wonder most privileged Nigerians often send their children to top universities in foreign lands because of the rot in the educational system in Nigeria where teachers are not motivated with regular salaries and conducive working conditions.
It is so disheartening and incredible to many ears that despite the joint ownership of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology(LAUTECH) by Osun and Oyo state governments plus the advantage that both state governors(Abiola Ajimobi & Rauf Aregbesola)belong to the same political party,APC, LAUTECH is currently in the state of decay, neglect and poor welfare package for both academic and non-academic staff of the university.This is playing politics with the future of Nigerian youths.
Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso (formerly Oyo State University of Technology) was established on the 23rd of April, 1990 by the military administration of the then Col. Adedeji Sasaeniyan Oresanya of Oyo State. At the creation of Osun state in 1991, the ownership status of the university changed; being owned by the new sister states (i.e. Oyo and Osun), a situation that ordinarily put the university at an advantage over other state universities.
The university was thriving well as much as to attain the status of the best state university, both in terms of infrastructural development and academic feats, in Nigeria with corresponding positive testimonies from all over the world, about the quality of the graduates of the institution. The rising to glory of the university cannot be divorced from the determination,hard work and dedication of the academic staff members and the past commitment of the two owner states.
The commitment of the two owner states (Oyo and Osun) in terms of monthly subvention and infrastructural development was the eloquent testament of their eagerness to transform the institution to an enviable centre of academic excellence. Consequently, the university witnessed unequalled supports during the tenures of the duo of late Lam Adesina and Chief Bisi Akande of Oyo and Osun state respectively. However, the release of monthly subvention to the university by the two owner states started dwindling after the tenures of the above-mentioned visitors until it come to the level where salaries had to be paid with Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), which is not meant for the purpose of paying salary in the first instance. The IGR is meant for other financial obligations of the university, prominent among which are; provision for pensions and gratuities; payment of promotion arrears; payment of Earned Academic Allowances (EAA) etc.
Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), LAUTECH branch had, on several occasions, suggested to the university management to desist from the payment of monthly salary from IGR because of its non-sustainable nature. On different occasions, the union reached out to the Governing Council of the university to contact the two owner state governors and educate them on why the monthly subvention should be provided as and when due but such admonitions were ignored by the duo of Governor Abiola Ajimobi and Rauf Aregbesola.
The commitment of the two owner states (Oyo and Osun) in terms of monthly subvention and infrastructural development was the eloquent testament of their eagerness to transform the institution to an enviable centre of academic excellence. Consequently, the university witnessed unequalled supports during the tenures of the duo of late Lam Adesina and Chief Bisi Akande of Oyo and Osun state respectively. However, the release of monthly subvention to the university by the two owner states started dwindling after the tenures of the above-mentioned visitors until it come to the level where salaries had to be paid with Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), which is not meant for the purpose of paying salary in the first instance. The IGR is meant for other financial obligations of the university, prominent among which are; provision for pensions and gratuities; payment of promotion arrears; payment of Earned Academic Allowances (EAA) etc.
Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), LAUTECH branch had, on several occasions, suggested to the university management to desist from the payment of monthly salary from IGR because of its non-sustainable nature. On different occasions, the union reached out to the Governing Council of the university to contact the two owner state governors and educate them on why the monthly subvention should be provided as and when due but such admonitions were ignored by the duo of Governor Abiola Ajimobi and Rauf Aregbesola.
The union, ASUU, on several instances has warned on the consequences, in the nearest future, of paying salaries with IGR because it is NOT SUSTAINABLE in a public university environment. In fact, the idea has put much pressure on the academic staff members of the university because we are being over-worked! Academic sessions were overlapping, meaning that before the completion of one session, another one has started with the intention of the management to collect more school fees without considering the effects on the health of our union members. Cases of lecturers collapsing during lectures have been reported. Also, this desperate search for IGR is greatly compromising academic standards in our University.
As a result of non-reliability of IGR as means of paying staff salary and non-responsive attitudes of the owner states in releasing subventions to the university, the following unwanted and unbearable, yet avoidable situations are happening in LAUTECH:
* Inability of the management to pay monthly salary as and when due (presently, salaries for the months of May, June, July and August have not been paid).
* A backlog of Earned Academic Allowances (EAA) for 2012/2013, 2013/2014and 2014/2015 have not been paid.
* A backlog of promotion arrears (2013/2014, 2014/2015) have not been paid.
* Gratuities (and pensions in some instances) of retired members of staff who have served the university meritoriously are not paid.
* Undergraduate students were sent home by the university management under the guise of a semester break until further notice.
Apart from the above highlighted problems associated with the failure of the owner state governors in their social responsibility to the university, other issues agitating the minds of ASUU union members are:
· Absence of a workable health insurance scheme.
· Conditions of service.
· Impending increase in school fees.
Presently, virtually all the unions in the university, except ASUU, are on strike.
It is noteworthy to emphasize that by the end of this month (September 2016), the university will be owing five (5) months’ salary. Despite this anomaly and up till now, the ASUU LAUTECH branch is still committed to her academic responsibilities as stipulated in a memo from the university management dated 9th of June, 2016 ; post graduate lectures and examinations are being held as scheduled, final year project students are being attended to by their supervisors. It is worthy of note here that ASUU members use their personal resources towards quality teaching and research to sustain the good name of LAUTECH.
ASUU, by principle requests that the two owner states be awakened to their social responsibilities to LAUTECH so that the glory and name of the university will not be a thing of the past. Subvention should be released for both physical and academic development of the university. Payment of salaries via IGR should be stopped and the said IGR should be used for its purpose.
The duo of Abiola Ajimobi and Rauf Aregbesola whose lucky children attended(or still attending) top universities in both Europe and America must remember the children of ordinary 'struggling' Nigerians still attending LAUTECH Ogbomoso.
As a result of non-reliability of IGR as means of paying staff salary and non-responsive attitudes of the owner states in releasing subventions to the university, the following unwanted and unbearable, yet avoidable situations are happening in LAUTECH:
* Inability of the management to pay monthly salary as and when due (presently, salaries for the months of May, June, July and August have not been paid).
* A backlog of Earned Academic Allowances (EAA) for 2012/2013, 2013/2014and 2014/2015 have not been paid.
* A backlog of promotion arrears (2013/2014, 2014/2015) have not been paid.
* Gratuities (and pensions in some instances) of retired members of staff who have served the university meritoriously are not paid.
* Undergraduate students were sent home by the university management under the guise of a semester break until further notice.
Apart from the above highlighted problems associated with the failure of the owner state governors in their social responsibility to the university, other issues agitating the minds of ASUU union members are:
· Absence of a workable health insurance scheme.
· Conditions of service.
· Impending increase in school fees.
Presently, virtually all the unions in the university, except ASUU, are on strike.
It is noteworthy to emphasize that by the end of this month (September 2016), the university will be owing five (5) months’ salary. Despite this anomaly and up till now, the ASUU LAUTECH branch is still committed to her academic responsibilities as stipulated in a memo from the university management dated 9th of June, 2016 ; post graduate lectures and examinations are being held as scheduled, final year project students are being attended to by their supervisors. It is worthy of note here that ASUU members use their personal resources towards quality teaching and research to sustain the good name of LAUTECH.
ASUU, by principle requests that the two owner states be awakened to their social responsibilities to LAUTECH so that the glory and name of the university will not be a thing of the past. Subvention should be released for both physical and academic development of the university. Payment of salaries via IGR should be stopped and the said IGR should be used for its purpose.
The duo of Abiola Ajimobi and Rauf Aregbesola whose lucky children attended(or still attending) top universities in both Europe and America must remember the children of ordinary 'struggling' Nigerians still attending LAUTECH Ogbomoso.
This great citadel of learning requires urgent attention because delay could be dangerous.
Change must surely begin with all Nigerians(leaders & followers)to move the country forward.
As legendary American civil rights leader Malcolm X once said :"Education is the only passport to the future."
As legendary American civil rights leader Malcolm X once said :"Education is the only passport to the future."
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