The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Adekunle Ajasin University Akungba-Akoko (AAUA) chapter, has raised alarm over what it described as the worsening neglect and gross underfunding of the institution under the administration of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

According to Nivo News, the lecturers, who are currently on strike over unpaid salaries and arrears, lamented that the condition of the state-owned university has deteriorated to the point where staff welfare and academic progress have been severely compromised.

Speaking in Akure, AAUA-ASUU Chairperson, Comrade Boluwaji Oshodi, accused successive governments of abandoning the university for over six years, resulting in billions of naira in unpaid salaries and allowances. He revealed that despite repeated efforts to engage the government, including letters to the governor dated May 3 and June 10, 2025, no meaningful response had been received.

Oshodi described the infrastructure on campus as “inhabitable,” noting that lecture halls, laboratories, libraries, and staff offices have been left in a state of decay. He cited collapsed roofs, leaking buildings, and abandoned faculty structures as examples of the neglect. According to him, both access roads to the university remain impassable, worsening the plight of staff and students.

The union leader disclosed that the university receives a monthly subvention of ₦223 million, far below the ₦555–₦600 million required for salaries and overhead costs. He further stated that the state government has not released capital grants for seven years, despite annual budgetary allocations, and that the withdrawal of TETfund support has worsened the institution’s decline.

Oshodi listed outstanding liabilities including excess workload arrears from 2009–2020 amounting to over ₦4.5 billion, unpaid promotion arrears exceeding ₦265 million, minimum wage arrears of over ₦2.2 billion, and cooperative deductions running into hundreds of millions. He insisted that the current crisis could lead to the “total collapse” of the university if urgent intervention does not come from the state government.

In response, Ondo State’s Commissioner for Education, Prof. Igbekele Ajibefun, acknowledged the grievances of the lecturers but urged them to remain patient, assuring that the issues were being addressed. He maintained that the present administration has been committed to investing in education and pledged that the concerns raised would be resolved soon.