30th June, 2014
Kazeem Ugbodaga
The Lagos State University, LASU, is on the verge of refunding over N69 million to students of the institution after the state government reduced school fees paid by the students during the 2013/2014 academic session.
Sources said the management of the university got a directive from the Governing Council that all payments in excess of the newly approved school fees should be refunded to students.
In compliance with the directive, the Bursary Department has been charged to commence the compilation of the list of students that will get the refund by cheques and that the comprehensive list of the beneficiaries, the amount to be refunded to each student will be uploaded on the university’s website, while roster for the distribution of the cheques to beneficiaries will be made available in due course.
The Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof. John Obafunwa commended the state government’s efforts in repositioning LASU for excellence and opined that the students, as well as the university community would reciprocate the gesture by contributing their quota to uplift the institution.
He called for a truce with the Academic Staff Union of Universities, LASU Chapter over the latter’s declared trade dispute with the university.
The dispute, according to the union, borders on three main issues, which include the reversal of the high LASU tuition fees; “No vacancy, no promotion” policy of the LASU administration, and the implementation of the Universities Miscellaneous Provisions Amendment Act, 2012 in the institution.
Obafunwa, in his second personal letter to the Chairman, ASUU-LASU on the Trade Dispute, informed the union and reiterated the Governing Council and the state government’s position with regards to the approved school fees across different faculties of the institution.
He further pointed out in the letter that promotion of staff is an on-going exercise and that staff members that merited promotion at any promotion cycle could be promoted following due process.
Obafunwa enjoined the union not to relent in its efforts in meeting with the Governing Council of the institution and all other relevant stakeholders in the actualisation of the implementation of the Universities Miscellaneous Provisions Amendment Act, 2012 in LASU.
He, however, stated in clear terms that in the interest of the students and for the good of the public, ASUU-LASU should reconsider its stand and call off its one month-old strike so that the institution could commence normal academic activities for the session.