Tai Solarin University staff demand N2bn subvention

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED), Ijagun, Ogun State, Chapter on Tuesday urged the State Government to pay over N2 billion subvention it owed the institution.

The Chairman, ASUU-TASUED, Dr Bayo Adesanya, said this at a news conference organised by the union in its secretariat .

Adesanya said the union was issuing a warning notice to Governor Ibikunle Amosun-led government to pay the debt in the next couple of months or the institution would be grounded.

He said the state government ``owes the university 15 months subvention, running into over N2 billion which is affecting the smooth running of the institution’’.

``The current wage bill of the university is N175million and by the government’s subvention policy of paying 70 per cent, the Amosun administration owes TASUED about N2 billion for 15 months, ‘’ the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) quotes Adesanya as saying..

According to him, series of meetings held with the governor, top government officials and the state Ministry of Education have yielded no result.

The Chairman said the non-payment of the subvention had affected every sector of the university system.

``All efforts made for government to release the subvention to TASUED in the past 15 months have not been positive.

``It is clear that the system will be grounded if this continues, as the university administration will no longer be allowed to face the assignment of steering the university but becoming money manager,’’ he said.

Adesanya said the university administration had been incapacitated in fulfilling its obligation of paying staff salary due to insufficient funds.

He said the university staff had not been receiving their salaries promptly since January.

The lecturer explained that staffs were being owed June and July salary while cooperative and other deductions had been delayed since April.

The ASUU boss said cooperative bodies were also owed outstanding 10 months’ deduction since 2012.

Adesanya stated that several arrears of entitlements such as Consolidated University Academic Salary Structure (CONUASS) and hazard allowances were yet to be paid..

He also said that the earned academic allowance from the 2009 Federal Government/ASUU agreement had not been implemented by TASUED.

Adesanya noted that the situation had dampened the morale of staff and reduced their commitment because they had been denied their right.

The Chairman noted that education was the pivot of development, progress and peace, so must be well funded.

He further appealed to Nigerians, the Federal government and Ogun people to prevail on the Amosun-led administration to pay TASUED workers their entitlements through their subventions.

``This is important so that the long standing peace TASUED is known for will not be truncated, ‘’ NAN quotes him as saying.