By Akeem Abas
Ibadan – Members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) in Lagos and Ibadan Zones on Friday protested the alleged continuous neglect of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomosho.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the protesters, who wielded placards with various inscriptions, commenced the protest at the headquarters of Nigeria Labour Congress in Ibadan
The protesters took the train through the Total Garden –UCH- Secretariat road to the Governor’s Office where they delivered a protest letter for transmission to Gov. Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State.
The Chairman of ASUU at the University of Ibadan, Dr Deji Omole, said the protest was in support of the union members at LAUTECH.
He alleged that the Ajimobi and Rauf Aregbesola administrations had not provided enough funds for LAUTECH.
“The university that used to be one of the best state universities in Nigeria is now groaning in pains of underfunding.,’’ he said.
He said the protest was the union ’s reaction to the way the university had been treated by the two state governments.
Dr Ade Adejumo, the Ibadan Zonal Coordinator of the union, said government ’s insistence that the institution should survive on internally generated funds was uncalled for.
He argued that LAUTECH, as a public institution, must be funded by public funds.
Dr Gbade Ojo, the Chief of Staff to Ajimobi, while receiving the protesters, assured them of the owner-governments’ commitment to tackling the university’s challenges.
Ojo told the protesters that many discoveries and revelations from the institution showed gross mismanagement of funds.
“In the last few weeks, the government has increased the subvention given to the institutions in Oyo State. Some of the tertiary institutions get as much as 80 per cent of the subvention.
“This is an indication of government’s commitment to improving education in the state,” he said.
Ojo assured the lecturers that the letter would be transmitted to the governor.
NAN reports that some of the institutions in the Lagos Zone are University of Lagos, Lagos State University, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Tai Solarin University of Education and Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta.
Those from Ibadan Zone are LAUTECH, University of Ibadan, Osun State University, Kwara State University and University of Ilorin.
(NAN)