The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has reiterated its decision to suspend all academic collaborations with the Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, as a result of the wrongful dismissal of five of its members. This affirmation was made after a meeting of ASUU’s National Executive Council at the University of Ibadan on 17th and 18th August.
ASUU has resolved to halt various academic activities with LASU, including sabbatical leave, visitation, part-time lectureship, external examinations, and research collaborations, until the wrongfully sacked lecturers are reinstated. The union has vowed to continue supporting the dismissed lecturers until they are recalled and has called on its branch at LASU to provide regular reports on the issue.
In a statement issued by the National President of ASUU, Emmanuel Osodeke, on 21st August, ASUU urged the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to reinstate the lecturers who were unjustly dismissed in 2019. The union expressed disappointment over the government’s delay in releasing the White Paper on the visitation panel to LASU, calling for the governor’s intervention in the matter.
The dismissed lecturers, who were ASUU officials, were accused of unauthorized handling of official confidential documents, leading to their dismissal. Despite a favorable recommendation for their reinstatement by an Appeal Committee, the governing council of the university decided to put the recall of the lecturers on hold, and they have yet to be reinstated.
ASUU further expressed displeasure with the ongoing management crises and victimization in several public universities, citing examples at various institutions across the country. The union also condemned the inadequate funding of universities and education at large, highlighting the failure to meet the UNFPA’s recommended allocation of 15-20 per cent of the national budget to education.
Regarding outstanding issues such as poor funding of universities, the termination of the ASUU 2009 agreement with the federal government, and the refusal of the government to move the salaries of its members from the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS), ASUU has given the government a 21-day ultimatum to address these concerns. The union has pledged to reconvene at the expiration of this notice to determine the next steps.
ASUU’s recent actions underscore its firm stance in advocating for the welfare of its members and the improvement of the educational sector in Nigeria.
