OOU VC APPEALS TO STRIKING WORKERS

Authorities of the Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago-Iwoye have appealed to the striking Non Academic Staff Union (NASU) of the institution, to call off their strike to pave way for settlement of the crisis.

The workers have been on strike since Friday last week over allegations of unpaid salaries and misappropriation of funds.

The appeal came just as the state Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Mr. Segun Odubela, also urged the striking workers to resume work as the government was doing everything possible to solve the problem.

The institution's spokesman, Mr. Sam Oyeleye who spoke on behalf of the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Wale Olaitan in Abeokuta yesterday pleaded with the aggrieved workers to show understanding.

According to him, the current administration inherited the financial crisis and other related problems confronting the institution.

Oyeleye added that, even, the authorities' of the university had agreed to pay the arrears, it could only do this through installments, which the striking workers were not willing to accept.

In the interest of the institution, students and the state, the university's spokesman pleaded with the workers to accept the proposal.

His words: 'The present management team inherited a lot of problems when they came in and therefore, they need time to sort out the problems and we are therefore, appealing to the workers to show understanding.'

He debunked allegations by the striking workers union that they (workers) were owed N3.2 billion salary arrears, insisting that they are owed only N665 million which was three months arrears inherited from the last administration.'