Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) has disclosed that all public tertiary educational institutions are beneficiaries of the ASUU struggle.
The union also pledged that it will not suspend the ongoing strike until the demands of the union are met.
The union made these announcements on Wednesday while reacting to a statement credited to the Oyo State governor, Seyi Makinde.
Makinde had a few days ago said he deliberately withheld the subvention of the institutions due to the ongoing strike embarked upon by the union.
Makinde while speaking said that LAUTECH lecturers have no business with the ASUU strike.
Our correspondent reports that LAUTECH is one of the tertiary institutions owned by the Oyo state government.
The union has, however, disclosed that it will not pull out of the ongoing strike because all public tertiary educational institutions are beneficiaries of the ASUU struggle.
It said any branch that breaks the strike will lose out on the benefits of the struggle including infrastructure development.
ASUU in a statement signed by its Chairman and Secretary Professors Biodun Olaniran and Toyin Abegunrin said their members have resolved to forge ahead with the strike.
The duo added that the state government should not see itself or the student as a target of the strike.
“The congress of ASUU, LAUTECH Branch was held on Tuesday, 07/06/2022. The congress deliberated extensively on the press interview granted to the Honourable Commissioner of Education, Science and Technology by Fresh FM on Saturday 28th of May, 2022 and His Excellency, Governor Seyi Makinde by BCOS on Saturday, 4th June, 2022, respectively.
“The university system is one (as regulated by the National University Commission). ASUU too is one. There is only one Chatter of ASUU with several Branches including LAUTECH Branch. Virtually all public tertiary institutions particularly public universities are beneficiaries of ASUU’s struggles in Nigeria.
“Currently, the responsibility of most state governments in Nigeria to the state-owned universities is limited to part-payment of monthly salaries. The responsibilities of capital projects have been completely abdicated and surrendered to Tetfund and Needs Assessments Project of ASUU’s struggles.
“An inventory of buildings, laboratories and workshop equipment in all public universities will confirm this! In recent times, all branches that break ASUU’s strikes have been made to forfeit the benefit/proceed of the ASUU’s struggle.”
