Sokoto zonal ASUU condemns 300% hike in LAUTECH fees

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) yesterday condemned a 300 per cent hike in school fees of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomosho, Oyo State.

The union also berated owners of the institution- Oyo and Osun state governments- for their failure to allocate subvention and inability to pay salaries of its workforce for the past 10 months.

The Sokoto Zonal Coordinator of ASUU, Jamilu Shehu, stated this yesterday at a joint press briefing in Katsina, with representation from universities in the zone, including Usman Danfodio University, Sokoto (UDUS); Kebbi State University of Science and Technology, Aliero (KSUSTA); Umaru Musa Yar’Adua University (UMYUK); Sokoto State University (SSU) and Federal University, Dutsinma (FUDMA).

Shehu said the institution now depends heavily on internally generated revenue (IGR), with its infrastructure presently in a sorry state.

He lamented that the institution increased school fees from N100, 000 to N300, 000 to the disadvantage of the students and due to underfunding by its owners and called on the two states to resuscitate the university to save it from collapsing.

“Since 2013, the university has been greatly underfunded, arising from non-release of subventions by the two states.

“Consequently, staff are owed 10 months salary arrears and are currently being paid net salary. The promotion arrears for the years 2013-2017 are yet to be paid.

“The infrastructure of the university is also in a sorry state, unbefitting of an ivory tower. The quagmire forced the Governing Council of the university to resort to the only available option of relying on IGR.

“This meant a hike in the tuition fees, which is not in the interest of students, parents and indeed, educational development of the two states.”

Shehu said the situation had led to a 10-month strike by academic staff, bemoaning that nothing has improved since the industrial action was called off.