We Are Not Sleeping, Start Counting Days Not Weeks For Resumption – LAUTECH Governing Council

By Toba Ajisafe

The Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Professor Oladapo Afolabi has expressed that the strike action will end in days as the Council had intensified efforts to find a lasting solution to the challenge.

Prof Afolabi made this known at a press conference held at Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, College of Health Sciences, Osogbo, Osun State.

According to the address read by Prof Oladapo, “We had our inaugural meeting at the main campus in Ogbomoso, on August 9,2017 and charted for ourselves a 90-day action plan which has started in earnest.

” We are determined to bring LAUTECH to Canaan.

“We have set timelines that are achievable for the activities of Council in handling the challenging task of resuscitating the University and redirecting its resources towards fulfilling the vision of the founding fathers.

” From the various interactions of the Council with the diverse stakeholders, we have realized that we all are on the same page, working towards the same goal.

“We all realized that the Council should spare no efforts to get the University reopen for students to continue with their studies and move on their academic pursuit.

” The Strategic Intervention Team on its own has advised the new Council to interact more closely with the staff members through their Union in order to gain their confidence and boost their morale which was observed to be at low ebbs owing to the nonpayment of their salaries for an upward of ten months.

Prof. Oladapo also declared that the Council is not sleeping nor insensitive to the incessant strike by the staff community of the institution.

Oladapo while responding to questions from journalists said, “Since we were inaugurated, we have called all the stakeholders and with the way we are now, we are closer to the answer than when we started.

“We may not give you a categorical date but we can assure you that, start counting days and not weeks. Let everybody have hope.

“As regard the pattern of funding of the Institution, the take of this Council is that the funding model must change radically. We don’t expect the University to be going cap in hand to the owner State every month if they will fund the School.

“We expect that whatsoever would be provided should be within the basket that enable planning with the resources so that we could also be creative and add value; not just be a body that is just absorbing money.

“We expect that any resource that come to the system is a resource that will provide something that public and humanity will appreciate. He added.