Newly-elected ASUU-LASU executives to collaborate with others to maintain peace

The newly elected executive of Academic Staff Union of Universities, Lagos State University, Ojo has promised to collaborate with other stakeholders to maintain peace and sustain giant strides in the institution.
The ASUU-LASU Chairman, Dr. Ibrahim Bakare, said this while speaking with newsmen after the union’s first congress on Wednesday in Lagos.
Bakare said since peace was very vital and key to move the institution forward, the union would do everything to negotiate for the welfare of its members in a civilised manner.
He said: “Our focus and direction is to rescue and give ASUU-LASU a new direction and not see everyone as our enemy.
“We need to know that negotiations do not have to lead to crises.
“We can manage every issue in a civilised manner by using modern languages and technologies in dealing with crises.
“We need to maintain the peace in LASU so that all the gains and good things in LASU will not be destroyed because we had it so rough in the past.”
Bakare said in the past, LASU was tagged the most volatile institution, but now the story has changed.
He said: “Today, we have better structures completed and ongoing structures that will be completed within months in collaboration with different local and international companies
“We want more of these achievements and we should be part of the solutions of LASU and not the problems.”
According to him, the new ASUU-LASU executive was inaugurated following the dissolution of the former executive.
Bakare said: “We were surprised that the parallel congress led by the former dismissed ASUU-LASU executives also wanted to have their meeting at the same venue.
“We are very peaceful and procedural people.
“We felt the peace we are enjoying should not be truncated and we instantly informed appropriate authority, but they did not show up.
“Well-meaning members of ASUU-LASU attended the congress with joy because the affairs of the union were conducted with innovative manner and members were allowed to hear their views without using unprintable names.”
Bakare said the new ASUU-LASU executive would present to management demand for academic allowances, new salary structure, completion of staff accommodation, completion of ASUU-LASU secretariat, amongst others.
He said the national leadership of ASUU should embrace fairness, justice and good conscience in dealing with ASUU-LASU matter.
He said: “Unfortunately, the national leadership became biased in its efforts to resolve the crises.
“We suggested that they should change their strategies of dealing with the matter.
“I will advice ASUU national leadership to rethink their stand or position if they want genuine relationship to exist between this branch and the top.
“It is the mandate of our congress that we are executing and we remain committed to it and through the mandate we shall achieve overall peace that will sustain the giant strides of this institution.”
Commenting on the matter, LASU Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Olanrewaju Fagbohun (SAN), said the former ASUU-LASU executives were dismissed from the service of LASU in accordance with the university regulations guiding the conduct of staff and in line with global best practices.
Fagbohun added: “The dismissed staff were: Dr. Akinloye Oyewunmi, Dr. Adebowale Adeyemi-Suenu, Dr. Tony Dansu and Dr. Adebisi Aboderin-Shonibare and their dismissal from Lagos State University subsists.
“The legality of the newly elected executed members of ASUU-LASU is valid.”