It has become imperative for Management to put the records straight regarding the current situation in Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, more so, that the general public is being fed with a lot of untruth on the issues involved.
This Administration came into office on July
29, 2011 at the height of the ownership crisis which threatened the very
existence of the University. The entire membership of staff was polarised along
ethnic divides resulting in serious distrust. This took its tolls on the
academic programmes of the University with many of them, including medical
programme, losing their accreditation.
The daunting challenges notwithstanding, the
Administration braced up and with the strategies put in place, peace returned to
the University and until June 2016, tremendous progress and achievements were
recorded. Some of these are highlighted as follow:
1. On the Use of IGR to Augment subventions
from State Governments and pay Salary
The total sum of Nineteen
billion, one hundred and seven million, one hundred and fifty four thousand,
five hundred and forty Naira, sixty six kobo (=N=19,107,154,540.66) only being the total salaries
excluding casual labour wages for the period between January, 2012 to December,
2016 was paid by this Management. A total sum of eleven billion,
ninety-eight million, seven hundred and seventy three thousand, nine hundred
and fifty eight Naira and fifty six kobo (=N=11,098,773,958.56) only
represents the total subvention released by the States for the same period.
Out of this amount, the Government of Oyo State contributed a total sum
of Seven billion, five hundred and forty seven million, one hundred and
thirty-eight thousand, one hundred and fifty-seven Naira, twenty four kobo (=N=7,547,138,157:24)
only while the State of Osun paid a total subvention of Three billion, five
hundred and fifty one million, six hundred and thirty five thousand, eight
hundred and one Naira, thirty two kobo (=N=3,551,635,801:32) only within
the stated period.
If we deduct the total amount paid as subventions by the two State
Governments from the expected subventions due to the University within the
period, it gives a difference of Six billion, Seven hundred and forty eight
million, seven hundred and fifty seven thousand, eight hundred and seventy one
Naira and fifty kobo (=N=6,748,757,871.50) only which was what the
present Management used to augment the subvention released by the two States
during this period using IGR. Please note that the two State Governments did
not provide a kobo as running or Capital Grants to the University during the
period.
When the University began to
experience funding challenges in 2014, (owing to non-release of subventions,
first by the State of Osun and later by Oyo State) Management was constrained
by its desire not to allow a reversal of the good progress being made; it,
therefore resorted to using Internally
Generated Revenue (IGR) to pay salaries. The reasoning then was that
Management could not be watching staff members starving while funds (which they
actually worked for) are kept in banks for the benefits of the banks. This
decision was taken after due consultation with the Staff Unions and approval
sought from the Governing Council.
It is important to note that all
of these were made possible because of the commitment and cooperation of the
members of the University community particularly the members of the Management
who agreed to make sacrifices in forgoing some legitimate perquisites. Some of
them are non-collection of Imprest for over two (2) years, reduction of per
diem of members of Management while on official trip/assignment, non-attendance
of conferences, seminars and workshops to mention some but a few.
2
Use of IGR for other staff welfare
since 2011
Before the assumption of office of this
Management, a sum of Two hundred and fifty million Naira (=N=250,000,000:00) only being the balance of loan obtained by one
of the past Administrations was settled by the present Administration using Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).
The sum of Ten million Naira (=N=10,000,000:00) only being loan
obtained by the past Management of LAUTECH Ventures was also outstanding and
only got settled by this Management
using IGR. The Council and Management then put in place the process of
complete reorganisation of the Ventures with a view to meeting the economic
challenges and generating expected revenue to the University. This process was
at the final stage of implementation before the commencement of the industrial
strike actions embarked upon by the unions on campus last year.
Another debt of One hundred and thirteen
million, five hundred and thirty three thousand and sixty five Naira, sixty
eight kobo (=N= 113,533,065.68) only, representing the outstanding retirees’ gratuity was
settled by the present Management, on assumption of office, using IGR. In
addition to this, about four (4) months’ salary deductions and promotion
arrears were inherited by this Management and settled using IGR.
The total sum of
One billion, eight hundred and twenty nine million, twenty six thousand, nine
hundred and forty four Naira, forty six kobo (=N=1,829,026,944.46) only being the arrears of CONUSS/CONPUA and
Hazard Allowances on the assumption of duty of the present Administration and
was equally settled using IGR.
The total sum of
One billion, five hundred and ninety eight million, five hundred and sixteen
thousand, thirty nine Naira and seventy six kobo (=N=1,598,516,039.76) only being arrears of Earned Academic
Allowances (EAA) and Earned Allowances (EA)
was paid to workers between 2012 and 2013 also using IGR. It should be
noted that the Federal Government made provisions for the payment of these
arrears to Federal Universities. The University Management wrote several
letters to the Owner-States for the refund of this amount paid on their behalf
to the workers up till date the refund is yet to be effected.
Furthermore, In order to ensure
transparency and prudency, Management had always involved the Staff Unions in
the decisions to disburse the IGR. A
University Finance Committee with its membership drawn from all the Unions and
the Management, has been put in place.
3.
Academic
Activities
Given the peaceful atmosphere
and a little motivation to the staff, the University was able to run its
academic calendars smoothly. Two convocation ceremonies were held in 2014 and
2015 in addition to the installation of the Chancellor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed
Tinubu. This was made possible by the selfless contributions of the University
Staff and approval by Senate and Council.
All the academic programs,
including the Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MB, BS)
regained accreditations from
the different Professional Bodies and the National Universities Commission
(NUC). The academic culture of inaugural lectures was restored. Both students
and staff shone brilliantly at National and International conferences and
competitions winning laurels. The University made good progress as regards
collaborations and linkages with Universities within and outside Nigeria.
4 Operating ninety seven (97) Bank Accounts
It is important to
state that majority of the bank accounts were opened and maintained by the past
Administrations and inherited by the present Administration in 2011 when it
assumed office. It is equally important to state that the decision to prune
down the number of accounts was recommended by Management and approved by
Council. This is contrary to claims made by the representatives of the two
Governments. Up till today, there is no single correspondence from either Oyo
or Osun States before the University Management to operate a Treasury Single
Account.
5
Bursary Department having ten (10) Chief Accountants
The University was
established twenty seven (27) years ago and has been expanding both in size and
operations. The staff of Bursary Department just like that of any other
departments in the University was inherited by this Administration and the
staff has just been growing with the University. It is pertinent to state that
the present Administration since its assumption of office in 2011 has employed
only one staff who is a professional to head the Public and Alumni Relation
Unit (PARU) of the University to work on the redemption of the battered image
of the University as a result of the ownership crises during the past Administration
in the year 2010.
6 Bursary Department Using Manual
Accounting System
Since the inception of this Administration a
lot of efforts have been made by Council and Management to ensure that the
operations of both Bursary and Audit Departments are computerised. The process
of awarding the contract was at the final stage awaiting the approval at the
next Council meeting before the commencement of the industrial action embarked
upon by the unions on campus last year.
7
Comparing LAUTECH with UNIOSUN
LAUTECH was licensed on 23rd April,
1990 and commenced academic business on 19th October, 1990 twenty
(27) years ago while UNIOSUN was licensed on 21st December, 2006 and
commenced operations on 21st September, 2007 precisely ten (10)
years ago, comparing these two Universities may not give a fair result for the
following reasons:
Age of the
two Universities which tends to make LAUTECH to be bigger than UNIOSUN in terms
of size and operating costs/overheads;
The staff
strength of LAUTECH is higher than that of UNIOSUN in view of the age of the
later.
The
retirement benefits being paid monthly and annually by LAUTECH cannot be
compared with that of UNIOSUN.
8.
The KPMG Issue
The University has been in
communication with the KPMG and in the latest mail received on Monday, June 5,
2017, the organisation stated categorically that a new date for the
commencement of the auditing would be conveyed to the University once some
contractual issues are sorted out with Oyo State Government. Management had
indeed confirmed its readiness to cooperate with KPMG knowing fully well that
the audit exercise would be in the interest of the University on the long run.
9.
Concluding Remark
Management wishes to appreciate the concern of
all stakeholders especially the Governments and people of the two Owner-States
of Oyo and Osun and indeed all Nigerians who are contributing their own quota
to the efforts to resolve the crisis in LAUTECH. The students should please
know that all the stakeholders share in their plight and are determined to find
a lasting solution to the crisis. The cooperation and support of the Staff
Unions to the concerted efforts being made towards moving the University
forward are well appreciated.
Given the
determination of the Governments of the two Owner-States to end the crisis in
the shortest time possible, it is certain that normalcy will return to the
University soon. Management also hopes that the University will soon be able to
resume its progressive march towards the highest level of excellence.
This communique was released by the management of LAUTECH.
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