Varsity urges workers to end strike

AUTHORITIES of the Ogun State-owned Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago-Iwoye, yesterday appealed to the striking non-academic workers of the institution to resume work to pave way for the dispute to be resolved amicably.

The workers have been on strike since March 16 over alleged non-payment of N3.2 billion salary arrears and misappropriation of funds by the authorities.

But the school’s management yesterday debunked the allegation, assuring that they were ready to account for every kobo spent on behalf of the institution.

The Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Mr. Segun Odubela, had also last Thursday appealed to the workers to resume work as the government was doing everything possible to solve the financial crisis confronting the institution.

THE school’s Spokesman, Mr. Sam Oyeleye, on behalf of the Vice Chancellor, Mr. Wale Olaitan, pleaded with the aggrieved workers to show understanding since the present administration, according to him, inherited the financial crisis and other related problems confronting the institution.

He said the authorities had agreed to pay the arrears but it could only offset it by installments due to the lean purse of the institution and, therefore, pleaded with the workers to accept this proposal in the overall interest of the institution.

Oyeleye, who spoke with journalists in Abeokuta, in reaction to the workers’ allegation, said: “The present management team inherited a lot of problems when it came in and, therefore, it needs time to sort such problems out. We are, therefore, appealing to the workers to show understanding”.

He debunked the allegation by the striking workers that they (workers) are being owed N3.2 billion salary arrears, saying they are being owed only N665 million “which is three months’ arrears inherited from the last administration”.

The university’s spokesman also denied that the vice-chancellor used N30 million to renovate his official residence.

“That allegation is completely false because the said renovation was carried out by the past administration. The visitation panel set up by the state government looked into the finances of the institution and gave the authorities a clean bill, so the allegation of mismanagement or misappropriation does not arise”, he said.

According to Oyeleye, the institution is being run “by a committee system, so it would be wrong for the workers to accuse either the registrar or the vice-chancellor of any decision taken because all decisions are taken collectively”.

He admitted that 150 academic staff were sacked by the Governing Council under the Chairmanship of Alex Onabanjo, but explained that they can only be recalled based on the recommendation of the visitation panel, the report of which is not yet out.