The Academic Staff Union of Universities, Lagos State University of Education chapter, on Saturday threatened to embark on strike over poor welfare packages and wage irregularity.

At a news conference in Lagos, the Chairman of the chapter, Dr Akolade Lapite, said that the members might resort to strike to press home their demands.

He said that poor welfare packages and wage irregularity were negatively impacting teaching and learning in the university.

Mr Lapite said that the chapter was demanding payment of the approved 25 to 35 per cent salary increase which, he said, was being enjoyed by other institutions.

He said the union had been mounting pressure for the payment and noticed that the institution’s January 2025 salary template showed an increase in its workers’ salaries but with a ‘shocking’ irregularity.

He said that the template showed that instead of the 25 to 35 per cent increase, some workers would receive a five per cent salary increase and others, eight per cent and 10 per cent.

According to him, members of the union are owed 72 months arrears of salary increment.

He said, “The system has deprived us of hazard and transport allowances that other tertiary institutions in the state have enjoyed since 2013. Government once assured us that it would pay the outstanding allowances but efforts and appeals to make the government fulfill its promise have failed. It is worth noting that these allowances are statutory, and colleagues from other institutions have received theirs all along.’’

He described the delay in the payment as unjust, saying it had also caused low morale among the ASUU members.

Also, a member of the union, Victor Akinola, said that since the university’s upgrade from a college of education three years ago, its infrastructure had yet to reflect its university status.

Mr Akinola said that the university, which had seven colleges and 25 departments, lacked operational vehicles to facilitate teaching and learning.

He said, “The staff members have difficulty in transporting themselves to the university’s Epe campus weekly to attend lectures. Some of us relocated to Epe campus are still in the main campus because the relocation allowance has yet to be paid, making them unable to rent a house in Epe. The students are equally at the receiving end because a lecturer that spent seven hours on the road can rarely perform optimally in class.’’

(NAN)