20th May, 2014
Sulaimon Mojeed-Sanni
The Academic Staff Union of Universities, Lagos State University Chapter, ASUU-LASU, has begun an indefinite strike action.
The declaration was made Tuesday afternoon at the Theatre Arts Auditorium of LASU, Ojo Campus in Lagos, western Nigeria.
ASUU-LASU said it is going on the strike due to unacceptable administrative practices which include high school fees that is having a negative impact on students’ enrolment and academic staff career advancement; non-promotion of many academic staff who are qualified; premature retirement of members of the professional cadre, unkempt campus environment amongst others.
The ASUU-LASU Chairman, Dr. Adekunle Idris, while addressing the media, said despite efforts by the union to discuss issues with the university authorities, their case was treated with levity.
“Our union discussed these issues with the university authorities and stakeholders with a view to resolving them. Regrettably, the issues at the heart of our demand and the sustenance of our great university were treated with levity and remain unresolved,” Dr. Idris said.
Talking about efforts of the union to resolve the crisis that started in 2011 when “the criminally high regime of school fees was introduced” in LASU, Idris said that after series of meetings with eminent Lagosians and ultimatums the core issues remain unresolved.
“In the absence of any concrete progress in the resolution of the core demands, the National Executive Council at its meeting held at the University of Ibadan, Ibadan on May 14-15, 2014 authorized the branch to embark on a total, comprehensive and indefinite strike action to actualize the resolution of the core demands of the branch,” he stated.
He noted that it is a sad decision they are compelled to take and have taken it with every sense of responsibility.
However, the Lagos State University Students Union President, Comrade Nurudeen Yusuf, said the Student Union movement is not interested in anything that would disrupt the academic calendar, but insisted the Lagos State Government should respond to the Union’s demand as soon as possible to prevent further drop out of students.