LASUSTECH Lecturers: Demand Unpaid August Salaries Explanation

• Lecturers at LASUSTECH are demanding an explanation for their unpaid August salaries, accusing management and the Vice-Chancellor of deliberately withholding funds.
• The university's Director of Information stated that salaries are delayed because non-academic staff, who prepare payroll, have been on strike for three weeks.
• Academic staff at LASUSTECH are not on strike, and they note that other state universities have paid their staff despite similar non-academic industrial actions.
• The university denies the Vice-Chancellor is withholding salaries, asserting payment will occur once the non-academic staff strike is suspended.
• The Lagos State Government has not issued any directive for the withholding of salaries at LASUSTECH.

The unresolved issue of the LASUSTECH lecturers unpaid August salaries continues to be a point of contention, with academic staff demanding clarity and payment, while the university points to the broader implications of the non-academic staff strike on its operational capacity to process payroll.

Lecturers at the Lagos State University of Science and Technology (LASUSTECH) have publicly demanded an explanation regarding the non-payment of their August salaries. Speaking anonymously on Friday, several teaching staff members accused the university management of intentionally withholding their earnings. They specifically pointed fingers at the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Olumuyiwa Odusanya, alleging that he made a unilateral decision to retain workers' salaries without consulting the Lagos State Government (LASG).

This situation is particularly contentious as the academic staff at LASUSTECH are not currently engaged in any industrial action. The aggrieved lecturers highlighted a stark contrast with other state-owned institutions, such as Lagos State University and Lagos State University of Education, where staff have reportedly received their August salaries despite ongoing strikes by their respective non-academic unions. They further asserted that the LASG had not issued any directive to the Vice-Chancellor authorizing the withholding of salaries.

The core of the LASUSTECH salary payment dispute, according to the university's administration, lies with the three-week-long industrial action by the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU) at the institution. Kuye explained that the preparation of salaries is typically handled by members of NASU and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), both of whom are currently on strike. This directly impacts the administrative functions necessary for payroll processing.

Kuye explicitly refuted the lecturers' accusation that Professor Olumuyiwa Odusanya was personally withholding salaries. He emphasized that the Vice-Chancellor, being a medical doctor, is not equipped to prepare the university's accounts. Kuye expressed a personal desire for the striking staff to return to work to facilitate the immediate preparation and disbursement of the outstanding salaries, reiterating that the state government has been supportive of the institution.

This explanation underscores the significant NASU LASUSTECH strike impact on the university's operational capabilities, particularly its financial administration. The university maintains that the August salaries would be prepared and paid without delay once the non-academic staff resume their duties, allowing the necessary payroll processes to be completed.

The ongoing situation at the Lagos State University of Science and Technology highlights potential complexities surrounding wage payment obligations during periods of industrial action, especially when non-academic staff strikes affect administrative functions critical to all employees. While the academic staff are not on strike, their remuneration is directly impacted by the industrial action of other unions within the same institution, raising questions about the application of Nigerian labour law wage payment principles in such inter-union disputes.

This incident brings to light the challenges public institutions face in ensuring timely salary payments when key administrative personnel are unavailable due to strikes. The lecturers' assertion that other state-owned universities have managed to pay their staff under similar circumstances suggests a potential disparity in administrative resilience or policy application across institutions during industrial unrest. The absence of a directive from the Lagos State Government to withhold salaries further complicates the narrative, placing the onus of explanation squarely on the university's management.

The unresolved issue of the LASUSTECH lecturers unpaid August salaries continues to be a point of contention, with academic staff demanding clarity and payment, while the university points to the broader implications of the non-academic staff strike on its operational capacity to process payroll.

This incident highlights the legal complexities and potential liabilities for public institutions regarding salary payment obligations during industrial action, especially when non-academic staff strikes impact administrative functions. Legal counsel should review policies on wage payment during inter-union disputes to mitigate risks of non-payment claims.

Source: Original reporting via PUNCH