ASUU Strike: LAUTECH Lecturers Threaten Resuming Students

Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso branch of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has fired back at the management of the institution after the announcement of its resumption date on Thursday.

AllNews Nigeria reports that the management of LAUTECH had on Thursday ordered the staff and students of the institution to resume on Thursday, May 26, 2022, to continue the first semester of the 2021/2022 academic session.

Reacting to the announcement on behalf of the striking lecturers, the  ASUU chairman of LAUTECH branch, Dr. Biodun Olairan on Friday maintained that the lecturers of the institution will not back out of the strike except if it is suspended by the national body.

The ASUU chairman said, “Our union is in receipt of the memo from the university registrar calling for the resumption of academic activities for the first semester of the 2021/2022 Academic Session on Thursday, May 26, 2022.

“The Academic Staff Union of Universities, LAUTECH branch, wishes to dissociate itself from the said memo.

"The branch wishes to make it abundantly clear that ASUU-LAUTECH is part of the ongoing nationwide struggle of the union to reposition our public universities.

"LAUTECH has not, and cannot, back out of this patriotic struggle.

“As you are aware, the LAUTECH branch of ASUU is involved in the ongoing, twelve weeks roll-over strike action by our union called to draw the attention of the Federal Government to implement the Memorandum of Action signed with ASUU in 2020.

"The MoA encapsulates all that needed to be done to make our public universities (Federal or State) internationally competitive.

“The decision to embark on this action was duly communicated to the university administration and it has not been vacated.

"As clearly stated by our union, the ongoing strike action embarked upon by ASUU is not targeted at any vice-chancellor, university administration, students, or any group within or outside the system.

“Once again, it must be emphasised that the strike action has not been reviewed in any way.

"It must also be stated that the administration pays attention to the subsisting demands of the branch to ensure a conducive industrial atmosphere in LAUTECH even after the suspension of the nationwide strike," Olaniran explained.

He further informed students and parents that teaching will not commence if students of the institution resume next week as directed by the management.

“We, therefore, urge the parents, guardians, students, and general public to note that our members are not in a position to conduct any academic activities while this ongoing action lasts,” he added.