By Abdallah el-Kurebe
Following the protracted crisis at the Lagos State University (LASU), the Sokoto zone of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has called on Lagos state Governor Babatunde Fashola to set up a visitation panel that would under-study the impasse and proffer solutions that would put a stop to the situation.
ASUU’s Coordinator of the zone, which comprises of Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto (UDUS), Kebbi State University of Science and Technology Aliero (KSUSTA) and Umaru Musa Yar’adua University Katsina (UMYUK), Dr. Lawalli Argungu made the call while addressing news men in Sokoto on Friday.
He said that the decision to make the call for a panel that would investigate the causes of the crises in the university was reached at the Union’s zonal meeting. “This is to enable him to take informed position in bringing the University back to sanity,” Argungu opined.
He however alleged that the maladministration and defective competence of the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Oladipo Obafuwa had led to the upward review of school fees to as high as N350,000; N300,000 increment on the N50,000 previously paid by students.
“This triggered a reaction from both staff and students, including the general public until a reduction to N25,000 was achieved. The vice chancellor was expected to be remorseful and use the lessons of the concluded popular and successful struggle to put the University on the path of progress in line with the established norms in university governance.
“He instead continued to subject the system to more administrative impunity and primitive witch-hunting creating enabling environment for industrial anarchy,” Argungu observed.
Describing the VC’s behaviour as gross incompetence, meddlesomeness and irresponsibility in handling the affairs of the university, Argungu further alleged acts of impunity by the VC, including subversion of the laws of the University; interdiction of frontline member of the ASUU, Prof. Tunde Fatunde; withdrawal of the PhD degree certificate of the ASUU-LASU Chairman, Dr. Adekunle Idris, etc.
He therefore appealed to the Federal government to wade into the crises in order to save the university from anarchy. “Our concern is to better the system and the panel should be allowed to work independently,” Argungu said.
