Lagos State government has reacted to the protest by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU) members of the Lagos State University (LASU).
The protesting members earlier on Monday blocked the main entrance of the institution over the payment of the minimum wage.
The state government in a statement signed by Tokunbo Wahab, the Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Education said the sum of N450 million is paid monthly to the institution as subvention.
Wahab said the government, therefore, expects the institutions to be responsible in the application of the funds.
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“We wish to state categorically that Lagos State University, like other subvented MDAs, collects the sum of N450,000,000.00 every month from the Lagos State Government as Subvention.
“The Government expects the institutions to also be responsible in 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 the government on how the same is expended,” the statement read in part.
Aside the subvention, the government said it is also responsible for the infrastructural developments of the institutions and other ancillary things.
This according to the government include the payment for accreditation exercise for which the last one cost the government close to N500million and the approval of 8,000 plus bed hostel in the institution.
“We expect the management of these institutions to pay up their staff salaries to avoid situations that look more like deliberate sabotaging of the efforts of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu led administration as we prepare for schools resumption this week,” Wahab concluded.
The free flow of vehicular movement was hindered on Monday morning when ASUU and NASU members in the institution blocked the main entrance and prevented both students and lecturers from gaining entrance.
Those locked out of the school include the Vice-Chancellor of the University, Professor Olanrewaju Fagboun.
All attempt by the Vice-Chancellor to dialogue with NLC, ASUU, NASU members was not successful, as they insist that no one will be allowed into the university premises until their demands are met by the state government.