 |
|
Comrade Olawale Olatunji, Chairman, Zone C, ASUP addressing
reporters during the press briefing on Wednesday, August 9, 2017. With him
Comrade Oluwalogbon Ogunseye, Vice President, ASUP National (left) and Comrade
Akinrinola Ibitoye, ASUP Chairman, LASPOTECH Chapter (right)
|
By Oluwagbenga
Bankole
The national body of Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic (ASUP)
has accused the Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH) Rector, Mr. Samuel Sogunro
of misinforming Lagos State Government regarding the payment of salary arrears
which has led to the suspension of academic and non-academic activities in the
school.
This is coming at the heel of the ongoing crisis in the
institution over the payment of CONTISS 15 salary arrears.
The National Vice President of ASUP, Mr. Timothy Oluwalogbon
Ogunseye while saying this at a press conference yesterday held at the union
secretariat in LASPOTECH noted that the national body is appalled that the
Rector must have misinform the government of Lagos state by going to court to
seek an injunction to hinder their union from resuming strike.
He said that ASUP want to use this opportunity to inform Governor
Akinwunmi Ambode that contrary to his expectations, democratic norms and intervention
of Lagos State House of Assembly and Special Adviser on Education, the
management of LASPOTECH led by Mr. Samuel Sogunro has been obstinate, recalcitrant,
stubborn and refused to implement the various approvals that were granted by
various levels of government for him to pay arrears of allowances to their
members particularly in the respect of CONTIS 15 migration which has been
approved since 2011 via circulars that are sent to the institution.
According to Ogunseye, Lagos state government had accepted
the proposal of LASPOTECH particularly in 2016 most especially the provision of
N1.6billion and there are evidences that government approved the proposal.
“The government began the monthly payment of the arrears in
the 2016 budget of the school. In particular, the government directed that at
least a minimum of N30 million naira on monthly basis should be used to pay
debt. Despite all these, the management is recalcitrant. I remember the
national body has sent us here on two or three occasions and we have interfere
and met with the Rector. Despite the fact that the government released N57
million above the statutory subvention they used to give to the school, the
management led by Sogunro refused to pay the arrears. We even pleaded with them
that if only he can remove N19.5 million from the N57 million to pay the arrears,
the school will still have a balance of N37 million,”
“The union is open to continuous dialogue. We are interested
in getting the school functional. It is not that we close the school down, we
only embarked on strike. If ASUP, Non-Academic Staff of Polytechnics (NASU) and
Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Polytechnics (SSANIP) are on strike simultaneously,
that should send a message to the Lagos state government that the Mr. Rector is
not doing well,” he said.
He noted that the union will not wish to put parents and students
in dilemma, but there is nothing they can do in the face of oppression.
The national body of ASUP according to him identified with their
local chapter in LASPOTECH to strengthen their resort, adding that having gone
through their documents they recognise that they have a very good case to
pursue.
“We want to use this medium to call on Governor Ambode to
ensure that the Rector hearken and implement the various circulars of the state
government where he was directed that payment should commence in earnest. We
are not concern of whether he is removed or not but we are not happy with the
state of thing. ASUP is saying enough is enough,” he noted.
He finally stated that; “on behalf of the National President
of ASUP, Comrade Mr. Yusuf Dutse, I appreciate the Lagos State Government for
listening to the yearnings of our union to increase subvention to the
institution so that the school management will be able to pay various arrears and
carry out other functions.”
0 comments:
Post a Comment