Following an alleged inability to fund its universities, the Academic Staff Union of Universities has called on the National Universities Commission to investigate the management of three universities owned by the Ondo State Government to know the problems of the varsities and what action to be taken in solving them.
The state has three universities – Adekunle Ajasin University, Akugba Akoko, Ondo State University of Science and Technology, Okitikpukpa and Ondo State University of Medical Sciences, Ondo.
The call by ASUU was contained in a statement signed by the coordinator of the Benin Zone of the union, Dr. Anthony Monye-Emima.
In the statement, the union alleged that the Ondo State Government had reduced the university education to a ridiculous level by the way the varsities were being funded.
However, the Commissioner for Information in the state, Mr. Kayode Akinmade, said the economic challenges being faced by the state was not peculiar only to Ondo State, saying it was as a result of the problem the entire country was facing at present.
He said “Ondo State-owned tertiary institutions are not the only ones facing challenges and the government had been trying a lot to address the situation.”
In the statement entitled, “Making a travesty of university education in Ondo State,” ASUU said going by the economic situation in the country and the state of affairs in the state owned-universities, it was obvious that the state could not fund the institutions as expected.
According to Monye-Emina, AAUA and OSUTECH lecturers had been on strike over non-payment of their salaries while the schools themselves were groaning under alleged non-payment of subvention and poor infrastructure.
The statement read, “The first two state-owned universities in Akugba-Akoko and Okitipupua are shut down owing to inability of the academic staff to continue to go to work. This is due to non-payment of salaries for several months and gross underfunding of the institutions.
“Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko staff are owed arrears of salaries and deductions running into months.
“Between November 2015 and now, the university has not received a dime from the state government for payment of salaries and to meet other running costs that are also begging for attention. Simply put, the university is reeling under the yoke of gross underfunding.
“Deductions have not been remitted to co-operative societies, welfare/thrift groups since last year. Efforts by the university administration at paying salary via internally generated revenue, though unacceptable, have been rebuffed by the state government.
“Unions’ deductions are being withheld illegally while efforts by staff to better their living condition through the cooperative society have been frustrated.”
Monye-Emina, who noted that condition of OSUSTECH, Okitipupa was very pitiable, said “ The last time the staff received salary was in January 2016. In other words, salary arrears owed run into months and nobody, not even the university’s management or the state government, is engaging them on the issue.”
According to Akinmade, the state varsities were known for excellence and if the government had not shown commitment, all the accolades would not be possible. He said when Mimiko came on board, many projects were executed at the OSUTECH which led to the movement of academic activities to the permanent site.
PUNCH.
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