ASUU and LASU crisis

Read more about earlier events here

A FACTION of the Academic Staff Union of Nigerian Universities (ASUU) Lagos State University (LASU) on Tuesday 3rd of February 2015 denied rumours making the rounds that that the school was enmeshed in internal crisis over the recent withdrawal of 19 doctorate certificates from some persons, including a factional chairman, Adekunle Idris.

According to the faction, the affected certificates had been re-issued and not a
subject of controversy as  peddled in some quarters.

Interim chairman of the union, Ayodele
Asokere, said the statement credited to some aggrieved members of the school that LASU was in crisis was not true and capable of putting the institution in bad light.

According to him, the environment is peaceful and students and staff, both academic and non-academic- were fully and dutifully engaged.

It would be recalled that members of the Idris- led ASUU-LASU, in company of ASUU in Lagos Zone, last week protested that the school was in crisis, stressing that it was high time Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN), looked into the matter.

The Idris-led group had complained of
victimisation by management, withdrawal of doctorate certificates, alleged incompetence of the vice chancellor, infrastructural decay among
others.

On Tuesday, however, Asokere and seven of the nine affected Ph.d holders (among the academic staff ) said they had received fresh certificates following necessary reviews and corrections.

The university authority last October ordered that nine lecturers who had completed their doctorate between 2003 and 2013 return their certificates for corrections to be effected. The matter went up to the Senate of the school, when the Head of Department, Marketing, Dr. Scholastica Udegbe, complained
that her certificate showed Marketing instead of International Business that she had researched.

Further investigations revealed that several other certificates (issued between 2003 and 2013) carried wrong nomenclature, including courses that were not offered in the university.

Affected candidates, both within and l
outside the institution, were asked to return the certificates, to which nine lecturers complied, except ASUU chairman, Idris.

One of the affected lecturers, Dr. Babatunde Yusuf, said they were all directed to return the certificates on or before Tuesday, November 18, 2014.

“Nine out of 10 of us complied with the
Senate’s directive and handed over our certificates to the issuing body and exactly 72 hours later, the senate met and re-awarded the degree reflecting what we applied for and studied, thereby correcting the anomalies reported,” he said.

Yusuf observed that the award took into
consideration key stages like the area of specialisation, as stated in the application; course work as reflected by area of specialisation; seminars presented in the area of specialisation and lastly specialisation as stated in the thesis.

“It was after this that nine of us who obeyed the Senate’s resolutions were re-issued with the corrected certificate. Rather than Adekunle Idris submitting his certificate for review and re- award, he has been denigrating and demeaning
the power of the university senate and the integrity of LASU,” he said.

Asokere stressed that there was no crisis in the university, saying “those fanning the embers of crisis in the university were outsiders who are working in collaboration with a few disgruntled elements in the university.”

According to him, “Please do not be misled by mischief makers and propagandists who are determined to create panic where there should be none and indeed, there is none.

“I stand here representing the position of all the academics in Lagos State University to state that there is no crisis in the Lagos State University. We desire sustenance of the peaceful and calm atmosphere which prevails in LASU especially as this has brought about so many development that are ongoing especially in the area of infrastructure development in Lagos State university,” he said.

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Nine more Universities on the way says FG

The Federal Government has concluded plans to approve nine more universities. This will bring to 18 the number of universities it had approved in last three years.

The Education Minister, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, who announced this, also stated that the government had earmarked N1.3tn as intervention grant to its universities courtesy of the National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy Assessment Programme.

Shekarau stated this in Abuja while X-raying the Nigerian Basic Education Sector (2011-2015). The minister said, “If not for technical reason, another nine (9) would have been approved before now.

Soon, we shall sort out all the outstanding issues and they will receive government approval. This will bring to 113 the number of universities in the country and 18 private universities approved in the last three years.”

The minister said that the NEEDS Assessment intervention grant was sequel to several deliberations between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities.

He explained, “We have persistent complaints from our universities about dilapidated laboratories and so on; then the government took the bull by the horn.

President Goodluck Jonathan set up a committee to go round the universities on the platform of NEEDS Assessment which was conducted two years ago.

“At the end of the assessment, the universities came up with a bill of N1.3tn required to address the necessary need in public universities and the government accepted it.

Since the government cannot dish out N1.3tn all at once, there is an agreement between the Federal Government and the leadership of the ASUU that the needs be addressed over a period of five  years with a provision of N220bn every year.”

According to the minister, the NEEDS intervention is in addition to normal budgetary allocations to universities and TETFund interventions, among others.

On the incessant strikes by unions in the tertiary institutions, Shekarau said the Federal Government was trying to address the challenges.

He said, “I think we are making some progress on incessant strikes in the sector. We have succeeded in ensuring we have strike-free sessions in our institutions. We are determined to achieve this and the issue of strike would soon be a forgotten issue.

“This doesn’t mean there won’t be problems. There is hardly any sector where there is no problem but frank and strong discussions can resolve them. It is our hope that exchange of views would help us to be strike-free in this country.”

Courtesy: www.punchng.com

UNIOSUN crisis tears ASUU apart

The crisis between the management and the Governing Council of the Osun State University early February 2015 has caused a sharp division among members of the Academic Staff
Union of Universities in the institution.

The Secretary of ASUU in the university, Mr. Wende Olaosebikan, at a briefing on Monday dissociated the members of the local chapter of ASUU from an earlier press conference addressed by the Chairman of ASUU, Ibadan zone, Prof. Segun Ajiboye

Apart from Olaosebikan, Prof. Ayo Adebooye, and the Financial Secretary of ASUU at UNIOSUN, Mr. Alabi
Banwo, who attended the Monday briefing, expressed dissatisfaction with the zonal coordinator of ASUU.

But the Chairman of the UNIOSUN ASUU, Dr. Seye Abiona, who was absent at the Monday conference, our correspondent gathered, was present when the zonal
coordinator addressed journalists on the crisis.

The secretary of ASUU noted that at the congress of the union held last January 20, its members resolved to be neutral in the crisis rocking the institution.

Olaosebikan said, “We have read with utter disappointment in the newspapers the report of a press conference which was floated by the Zonal Coordinator of ASUU, Ibadan Zone, Prof Olusegun Ajiboye on the suspension of the Principal Officers (VC, Registrar and Bursar) of the Osun State University by the Governing
Council.

“Our branch of ASUU dissociates itself from the reported press conference because we had resolved at our meeting l of January 20, 2015 that we would not
take side in the issues concerning the council- administration and the government.

“We are also disappointed that the said press conference on the issues concerning our university was held without any input or clearance from our branch.

“We wish to state that this is not part of ASUU principle. Our branch reserves the right to know whenever the zonal or national body wishes to discuss our university on the pages of newspapers.

“In fact, since our branch congress had not yet reported any matter to the Zonal-ASUU, it has no right to take the matter to the press. Our union is known for thoroughness in dealing with issues and we wish to state that in holding the press conference, the zonal ASUU has violated our right as branch.

“We are dismayed that lecturers who should face the real academic duties are now aligning with political parties and have directly turned the university to a home of partisan politics.

In our opinion, while we lay claim to the fact that all of us are political animals, we must not forget that university is a home  for the production and propagation of knowledge.”

Check ASUU too in LASU this 2015.

Courtesy: www.punching.com

UNIBEN Students Destroy& Set Ablaze Government Bus

Protests over the demolition of 16 official quarters of the employees of University of Benin by the Edo State Government continued on Wednesday with the destruction of a government-owned transit bus by persons suspected to be students of the university.

The protesters were said to have set the ‘Comrade Bus’ ablaze, which they then used to barricade the Benin- Lagos Expressway, leaving motorists stranded for several hours.

Our correspondent also gathered that another bus was vandalised by the protesters. It was, however, learnt that the protesters were dispersed by security personnel at the main entrance of the university.

The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Joseph Edoigiawerie, said although no arrest had been made, efforts were ongoing to apprehend those responsible for the action.

Edoigiawerie said, “Some lecturers and students of UNIBEN were protesting the demolition of the house of a former Vice Chancellor, Prof. Oshodin, and some other
lecturers by the state government.

“They blocked the Lagos exchange route and a Comrade Bus with registration number, ED 129 B28, was burnt and one bus with the inscription, ‘ECTS,’ was also
seized by the protesters.

“No arrest has been made but investigation is ongoing.” However, the UNIBEN chapter of the Academic Staff
Union of Universities has called on the state government to toe the path of the rule of law and allow court processes to be concluded before taking the law into its hand.

The chapter Chairman, Prof. Tony Monye-Emina, who made the statement, also told our correspondent on the telephone that ASUU was not aware of the violent
demonstration by suspected students of the university.

Meanwhile, the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice of the state, Mr. Henry Idahagbon, has vowed to resign his appointment and resort to farming if the
university management could prove that it had secured a stay of execution from the court prior to the
demolition.

According to a statement on Wednesday, the commissioner said none of the four respondents in the legal matter had been served any notice of the court order.

Idahagbon said, “I also want to state categorically that if the University of Benin and their counsel are able to
show proof of service of any application for stay of execution of judgment on any of the four respondents, I, Henry Idahagbon, will resign as Attorney-General of Edo State and go back to my village to farm.

“They may have filed, that I am not aware because after filing, they have to serve. It is the service of the court processes that invokes the jurisdiction of court.

“Until a party is served, the party is unknown before court and since the 16th of December when judgment was given, the case at the High Court effectively ended.”

ASUU splits over LASU crisis

CITING several problems facing the Lagos State
University (LASU), the Academic Staff Union of
Universities (ASUU), Lagos Zone, on Tuesday 27 January
called on the State governor and Visitor to the
institution, Babatunde Fashola (SAN) to send
visitation panel to LASU.
Addressing reporters at the University of Lagos
(UNILAG) ASUU secretariat, the Zonal
Coordinator, Dr. Adeola Nassir, said that the
situation in LASU had worsened, even as the
institution is gradually sliding into chaos.
But as this was ongoing in UNILAG, Akoka,
another faction of ASUU in LASU, at a briefing
held on the Ojo campus of the institution,
disassociated themselves on Wednesday 28 of january 2015 #8217;s
protest.

The group, allegedly loyal to the Vice
Chancellor, Prof. John Obafunwa, claimed there
is peace in the university, except for “some
external forces” trying to instigate some
disgruntled members of the union to foment
trouble and distabilise the system.
Nassir informed that the Vice Chancellor of the
institution, Obafunwa, had defiled several efforts
to restore peace and remove LASU from the
map of crises.

He expressed disappointment that the visitor
to LASU (Fashola) has still not yielded to
several calls made by the union to investigate
the crises at the institution.

According to him, “Developments at LASU have
since gone from bad to worse due to what we
perceived as witch-hunting of our members by
the LASU administration coupled with crass
incompetence, borne out of poor vision and
warped mindset of the vice chancellor.
“Ranging from the issue of withholding of
ASUU-LASU check-off dues, to irregular
appointments and promotions; interdiction of
Prof Tunde Fatunde; withdrawal of Ph.D
certificates of ASUU-LASU chairman, Dr.
Adekunle Idris; interference with the union’s
internal matters and denial of regularisation
interview to two temporary appointees.”
Other issues as raised by the union includes,
violations of rules and regulations governing the
university; the state of LASU consult and
ventures; and his full time tenure offices as the
vice chancellor and Chief Medical Examiner of
Lagos State.

“With this double standards, how can he
(Obafunwa) sits down and think out progressive
idea on how to move LASU forward? It is clear
to us that Obafunwa is never tired of instigating
crises for LASU and government just cover his
incompetence.

“Our union is disturbed that the Lagos State
government has continued to turn its face away
from these brazen anomalies. We therefore
wondered what level of crisis would prompt
government to act right and act fast in arresting
the drift at LASU.

“For the umpteenth time, we are asking that
the governor should call Obafunwa to order
whilst at the same time setting up visitation to
LASU immediately. The alternative is to watch
LASU snowball into more crises with the
attendant implications.”

To make their dissatisfaction known to the
state government and the public, the group in
yesterday’s protest at Alausa described
Obafunwa’s administration as anti-intellectual
and autocratic, challenging Fashola to call the
VC to order before the situation becomes
uncontrollable.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the ASUU-LASU
Caretaker Committee, Ayodele Asokere, at the
Ojo briefing, dissociated his group from the
protests.
Asokere said the protest was uncalled for and
should be disregarded, saying “it is a ploy to
lure the LASU students into political thuggery
and violence.

According to him, “I want to quickly address
the call to yesterday’s protest by one Comrade
Aremu of JAF. Many text messages have been
circulated in the last few days by one unknown
Dr. Idris, giving reasons for the protest.
“Some of the reasons given were victimisation
of students and lecturers. Secondly, they cited
an intention to increase LASU school fees and
thirdly they mentioned disruption of academic
freedom.

“We are constrained to state that such a rally
is not justified for now especially since the
university has just begun a new academic
session after the smooth and successful
completion of the 2013/2014 session.”
The ASUU-LASU said their findings after so
much consultation have not revealed any
intention to hike LASU fees, even as he said no
case of victimization have been established and
that academic freedom in the university is
guaranteed.
Asokere said: “Therefore, all the reasons stated
in the text messages are baseless and
unfounded. It is clear that some mischievous
individuals are bent on disrupting the peace and
progress in LASU and this individuals are
colluding with external agents to achieve their
devilish ends.”

The ASUU-LASU leadership enjoined LASU
students to steer clear of the planned protest
and avoid anything that could jeopardise their
future as well as the smooth running of the
university’s academic calendar.

“Students need to be informed that political
thuggery may come in different guises including
this one that wears the cloak of a peaceful rally.
Parents are therefore advised not to allow their
children and wards to be used by agents of
political parties who are disguising to be
unionists.

“Parents, please be alerted that those who are
calling for the disruption of academic calender in
LASU do not have their children or wards in
LASU but in private universities in the country
where they pay astronomical fees. Please, do
not be used by some insincere individuals to
achieve some selfish ends,” Asokere said.

Please, Increase funds for Scientific Research

THE Federal Government has been urged to
increase funding for scientific research in the
country, to keep pace with advancement in other
parts of the world.

A professor of Inorganic Chemistry at the
University of Abuja, Prof. Joseph Nwafor
Nwabueze stated this at the 12th Inaugural
lecture of the institution titled: “Igwe Na Ndu:
The role of metals in life.”
Prof. Nwabueze implored the government to
stop paying lip services to science and
technology but rather make available special
intervention funds to universities to adequately
equip their basic science departments for
teaching and research.

Nwabueze noted that the state of science
research in Nigeria is deplorable because of lack
of modern research facilities, which he described
as twin problems of lack of infrastructures and
poor funding.

“ Everybody agrees that science primarily is the
bedrock of sustainable development. Scientific
research in Nigeria is being hindered by the twin
problem of infrastructure and poor funding.
“The laboratories are without chemical and
research equipment. Municipal services that are
taken for granted in other climes are lacking.

The lecturer said well-equipped advanced
science laboratories should be established, at
least one in each geopolitical zone which should
have sophisticated research equipment.
Nwabueze commended the Academic Staff
Union of Universities (ASUU) for its “sustained
struggle for better funding of the university.

The former deputy vice-chancellor academic,
also cautioned the federal government against
politicising the opening of new federal
universities in the country.
He said if the federal government could not
adequately fund 24 universities, how does it
hope to fund 37.

He maintained that the resources used in
creating the 13 universities should have been
used to expand and adequately fund the existing
ones.

“I do not believe that universities should be
established for political reasons. Why must
there be a university in each state of the
federation, even in those states that hardly fill
their quota in existing federal institutions?” he
said.

According to him the increase in the number of
federal universities has further worsened the
situation of underfunding in the education sector
in the country.

“If this trend is not halted, we may soon be
confronted with demands for the establishment
of a federal university in each of the 774 local
government councils.

Written by Kanayo Umeh

http://m.ngrguardiannews.com