• VC begs workers, varsity announces resumption date
By Gabriel Dike
The Lagos State Government has agreed to pay 12 months out of the 23 months arrears of the 25 per cent and 35 per cent salary increase owed workers of the Lagos State University (LASU).
The agreement to pay 12 months out of the 23 months was signed on Thursday, August 7th, between the Joint Action Committee (JAC) and the Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat.
But LASU workers, at an emergency congress over the weekend, rejected the offer and berated their leadership of JAC for signing the agreement without consulting the congress.
Despite the rejection of the agreement, LASU management has announced the resumption of academic activities on Monday, August 11th.
Also, the Vice Chancellor of LASU, Prof Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, in a personal message to the workers, appealed to them to accept the state government offer.
JAC in a letter to the Deputy Governor, Dr. Hamzat, informed the state government of the congress resolutions to reject 12 months payment offer and the continuation of the industrial action.
The letter, dated Friday, August 8th, 2025, was signed by the chairman, ASUU-LASU, Prof. Ibrahim Bakare, Secretary, Dr Sylvester Idowu, chairman, SSANU-LASU, Oluwaseyi Lawal, Secretary, Waheed Majekodunmi, chairman, NAAT-LASU, Olujimi Adejo, Secretary, Adewunmi Fadiora and chairman, NASU-LASU, Obafemi Sanni and the Secretary, Muhammed Kelani, where the unions insisted on full payment of the 23-month arrears.
JAC informed the state government that congress reviewed the agreement and rejected the payment of 12 months out of 23-month arrears of 25 per cent and 35 per cent salary increase wass insufficient.
“Congress resolved that full payment of the 23-month arrears be made under an appropriate arrangement deemed fit by the government and LASU management.
“The payment should be made in five tranches: four tranches of five months each and the last tranche of three months, with the first payment commencing in August 2025,” congress argued.
In the signed agreement, only 12-month arrears would be paid. The government would pay nine months and LASU management to pay three months.
Based on the agreement, LASU management, in a circular, directed staff to resume work on Monday, August 11, stating that the state government had met their demands.
LASU VC, in a message to her colleagues, said the voices of staff had been heard. She said together with the leadership of JAC, they had acted in the workers’ best interest.
Olatunji-Bello added “Today, the state government has made offers in response to our demands. I know they may not yet meet every expectation. But I ask that we accept them as part of the realities of negotiations, and life, where we win some and lose some, while allowing academic and administrative activities to resume this Monday, 11th August 2025), as directed by management.
“The longer we remain apart from our students and our work, the greater the ripple effect on our community, on our young people, on our reputation, and on the very progress we have made together.
