Non-academic workers ask UNIOSUN management to account for N3bn

By Femi Makinde

The Joint Action Committee of the Non-Academic Staff of Universities; Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities and National Association of Academic Technologists at the Osun State University have asked the management of the university, led by Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Labode Popoola, to give a detailed account of how it spent the sum of N3bn, which the last administration left in the coffers of the institution.

The committee did not only describe the vice-chancellor as lacking managerial competence, but it also accused him of using the media to cover his administrative deficiency.

The JAC, in a statement signed by the Chairman of SSANU, Lekan Adiat; NASU chairman, Fayemi and NAAT chairman, Ismael Adeleke, said the fund was aside the fees that Popoola claimed the students owed the university in 2016.

The workers, who are currently on strike, have been at loggerheads with the vice-chancellor over their earned allowance, reverse of condition of service, remittance of pension deductions and taxation, among other issues.

The workers also accused Popoola of inciting the students of the university and other stakeholders against them. They said that, contrary to his claim of paying all the arrears of their earned allowance, the university still owed them arrears for the period between 2009 and 2014.

The statement read, “It is imperative to note here that all the predecessors of Prof. Labode Popoola paid the salaries of workers, sent workers to attend conferences/ trainings/ workshops, paid allowances, bought laboratory/teaching materials, equipped laboratories and upgraded the teaching facilities. They organised sporting activities for students and staff of the universities, but all enumerated welfare packages have been suspended since the beginning of his administration and he still claims the university is broke.

“Kindly note that the last administration handed over the sum of N3bn to this administration, excluding the amount claimed by Popoola that UNIOSUN students owed the university when he assumed office in November, 2016. What happened to the fund?”

Reacting to the workers’ claims, the vice-chancellor said, “UNIOSUN was bankrupt by the time I assumed office. If the university had that sum of money, why were the workers not paid their earned allowance? It is logical. Some of these people don’t have any business being in any university.

“Fayemi and others took some TETFund money for a conference and they didn’t go for the conference. I insisted that they should refund the money and that is what they are resisting.

“The same people alleged in October 2017 that I embezzled N106m. A panel investigated this for three months, with the petitioners doing everything to frustrate the investigation so they could continue to evade justice for their serial infractions.

“The compromised media went on to publish all the lies against me. Eventually, a report was substituted to the council, exonerating me and commending the huge sums of money I saved, which would otherwise have been leaked to the private pockets of the petitioners. Sadly, the compromised media did not report my exoneration.”


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