The Lagos State Government has cautioned managements of state-owned institutions across the state to desists from actions that could amount to soiling efforts of the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu-led administration in repositioning higher citadel of learning for efficient service delivery.
This is coming after members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), and the Non- Academic Staff Union (NASU) of the Lagos State University (LASU) campus, Ojo, disrupted resumption of academic activities and barricaded the institution entrance over unpaid minimum wages.
It was reported that the workers were said to be angered that the increment in salaries promised by the Lagos State government since last year was yet to be paid even after several appeals.
But, reacting to the issues raised by the protesters, the state government clarified that all salaries and entitlements were being approved as at when due for the institution and that payment of salaries lies with the school management and not directly from the government.
The Special Adviser on Education to Governor Babjide Sanwo-Olu, Tokunbo Wahab, explained that the institution receives N450,000,000.00 monthly as subvention and are expected to prioritize staff welfare by ensuring prompt payment of salaries as at when due.
Through a statement released to newsmen on Monday, Wahab who frowned at the staff action enjoined managements of state-owned tertiary institutions to ensure prompt payment of staff salaries to avoid future occurrence of unnecessary protests
“We wish to state categorically that Lagos State University, like other subvented MDAs, collects the sum of N450,000,000.00 (Four hundred and fifty million nairas) every month from the Lagos State Government as Subvention. The Government expects the institutions to also be responsible for the application of the funds and the staffing of the institutions. We must also have at the back of our mind that they have IGR which they generate and not accountable to government on how same is expended.
“Aside the subvention, the government is also responsible for the infrastructural developments (which include the recently approved 8,000 plus bed hostel in this same LASU) of the institutions and other ancillary things including payment for accreditation exercise for which the last one cost the government close to N500m.
“We expect that the management of these institutions pay up their staff salaries to avoid situations that looks more like deliberate sabotaging of the efforts of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu led administration as we prepare for schools resumption this week,” the statement said.
