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Reply to LAUTECH ASUU: University Accounts And Forensic Audit: Setting The Records Straight.
REACTION: For ease of reference, I want to draw the attention of ASUU to page 72 and 73 Visitation Panel’s report:
The Panel observed that the University opened ninety-seven different bank accounts in almost all the commercial banks in the country. Some of the banks have closed shop, due to either restructuring, merger or outright de-listment by the Central Bank of Nigeria. The Panel felt concerned about the monies in some of the banks that are no longer active and the possibility of the recovery in future. The banks include but not limited to, Intercontinental Bank, Oceanic Bank, Afribank and Enterprise Bank, just to mention a few. The implication of having funds in any of the banks that are in this category is that some of them might not be in a position to make good to the University, such sums of money standing to the credit of the Institution, if and when a demand is made for them).
ISSUE : Our Union is disturbed but not surprised, about this deliberate misinformation and manipulation of facts about issues on ground. While ASUU is NOT a mouthpiece for the University administration, it is strange that the governments which put LAUTECH administration in place cannot demand accountability from the same appointees. The prefer to confuse issues by putting blames on the door-step of the workers of the University and putting the lives and careers of about 30,000 students in jeopardy. The operation of the accounts solely lies with the University administration and it must be held responsible for any infractions thereof.
REACTION : See page 39 Visitation Panel report for ease of reference: At the inaugural meeting of the Panel, the above documents were requested from the Bursar, who in turn made a qualified promise to make them available – the qualification being to the effect that not all of the documents/records could be made available as the (Bursary) was still working on them. The Panel was told that the arrears of work was as a result of the non-computerization of the Bursary Department’s operations, and that there were lots of arrears when the Bursar assumed the acting headship of the Bursary in 2013.
The findings in summary confirmed that the Panel got only the audited accounts for 2010/11 and 2011/12, while the ones for 2012/13, 9 months ended 2013, 2014 and 2015 were still being prepared, as at the time of the inaugural meeting. There was no Bank Reconciliation for the period and there was no standard Fixed Assets Register in place for the University since its inception, as well as an Accounting manual.
With the above situation being that which the Panel met on ground, the Panel was able to formulate an issue to be resolved for the University, which is “ineffective, inefficient and untimely record keeping of the accounting operations, resulting in inability to authenticate the accuracy and completeness of the accounting records of the University).
ISSUE : The wage bill of LAUTECH is about N365 million per month; this amounts to N4.38 billion per year. Therefore for 2011-2016, the total wage bill expected as subvention from the owner governments stood at N26.28 billion. This amount does not include allowances, gratuities and pensions that accrued. It is also necessary to note that the University administration used Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and reserves to offset salaries for 18 months.
The IGR is derived essentially from fees paid by different categories of students. Therefore, it is appalling that the Commissioner for Education who is also a University Professor will be peddling lies alleging that N13.63 billion will pay EVEN salaries of members of staff for 6 years! During this period (2011-2016).
REACTION: I never talked about using subventions for payment of salaries, and you did not refute the fact that the owner states paid the said amount, I wonder why ASUU will abandon the truth on the table of exigencies, to have said I lied is indecorous, cantankerous and perfidious).
ISSUE: There was no release of capital grant and overheads to LAUTECH. Regarding capital development, infrastructure, acquisition of equipment and staff training, LAUTECH has barely managed to be credible as a university through ASUU-inspired Federal Government intervention programmes such as TetFund and NEEDs Assessment. It is particularly regrettable that the level of indebtedness of the owner states to the University succinctly captured by the Olanipekun Visitation Panel is being down-played by the Commissioner just to pursue the shadow they call “forensic audit”.
The locus of financial policy and the repository of the financial documents of LAUTECH are the University Council and administration which are the appropriate organs to be asked to account. Our Union, ASUU, should not be dragged into the encumbrances surrounding the financial auditing by KPMG and this should not be linked with non-payment of salaries.
Our union wants to point out the unexplained and unacceptable silence of the University administration on the claims highlighted above; a pointer to either the acceptance or connivance with the owner state governments to destroy LAUTECH.
REACTION: (While on Fresh FM radio, Ibadan, I asked, the ASUU and SSANU presidents, are you aware that Oyo-State Government has paid the 25 % subvention for January and February to LAUTECH? The SSANU president said, it’s a lie and I told him that, you should have used the world “I am not aware, I said asked your Bursar).
For your information the sum of 147.9 Million Naira for the month of January and February has been credited to LAUTECH by Oyo-State Government.
Furthermore, the ASUU President, asked me whether I am aware that Council tenure has expired, I ignored the question because I knew it was not true, when I asked him to confirm the expiration of council is July, he said Union will respond.
So the response, is to disparage the truth?
The position of Government is to solve the issue of LAUTECH permanently, this campaign of calumny will soon fizzle away.
LAUTECH will rise again.
Stronger and better.
But Forensic Audit must be done.
Long live ASUU. Long Live Oyo and Osun States.
Professor J. A. Olowofela.
Commissioner for Education, Science & Technology, Oyo State.
The lawmaker representing Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Engr. Aderemi Oseni, has mourned the death of a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State and former member of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon. Akeem Abimbola Oladipupo, popularly known as Able, describing his demise as a painful loss to the progressive family.
Oladipupo, who represented Ibadan North-West Constituency in the Oyo State House of Assembly, was widely regarded as a grassroots politician and committed party loyalist until his passing.
Oseni, who is also the Chairman, House Committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency and the APC candidate for Oyo South Senatorial District, said the late politician’s death had created a vacuum within the party and among those who benefitted from his unwavering commitment to public service.
In a condolence statement issued on Monday by his Media Aide, Idowu Ayodele, and made available to journalists in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, the federal lawmaker described the late Oladipupo as a dependable progressive, humble political actor and loyal party stalwart whose impact would remain indelible.
He said the deceased dedicated his life to serving humanity, strengthening the progressive movement and supporting the aspirations of many at the grassroots.
Oseni said, “The death of Hon. Akeem Abimbola Oladipupo (Able) came to me as a rude shock. Oyo State and the progressive family have indeed lost a committed, loyal and selfless leader whose passion for service, humility and dedication to the people stood him out.
“He was not just a politician but a bridge-builder, a dependable ally and a grassroots mobiliser who believed strongly in the ideals of our great party. His contributions to the growth of the APC in Oyo State and his service to humanity will remain unforgettable.”
The APC senatorial candidate noted that the late former lawmaker remained steadfast in promoting peace, unity and political development, adding that his simplicity and accessibility endeared him to many across political divides.
According to Oseni, the late politician’s legacy of service and sacrifice would continue to inspire younger politicians and party faithful.
He, however, urged members of the APC, associates and family members of the deceased to take solace in the remarkable life he lived and the positive impact he made during his lifetime.
Oseni also prayed for the repose of the deceased’s soul and for God to grant his family the fortitude to bear the painful loss.
State governors have proposed a new national minimum wage of N100,000 for Nigerian workers as part of efforts to cushion them from the biting effects of inflation and the rising cost of living.
Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State, who is also the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), disclosed the proposal on Saturday in a post by the state government’s official Facebook page. He said the move aims to improve workers’ welfare while ensuring that government finances remain sustainable.
“State governments recognise the urgent need to improve workers’ welfare in response to the current economic realities facing Nigerians,” AbdulRazaq said.
“We are actively engaging with the Federal Government and organised labour to arrive at a wage structure that is fair to workers and sustainable for government finances.”
The NGF chairman explained that ongoing discussions are focused on balancing the need to boost workers’ purchasing power with the capacity of governments to deliver essential public services and development projects.
“The goal is to improve the living conditions of workers while ensuring that states can continue to meet their obligations and sustain projects that directly impact citizens,” he added.
The proposed N100,000 minimum wage is expected to intensify national debates on salaries, inflation, and broader economic reforms as Nigerians continue to contend with rising food prices, transportation costs, and other living expenses.
Currently, Nigeria’s statutory minimum wage stands at N70,000 per month. Some states, including Lagos, Rivers, and Imo, are already paying above the national benchmark to support workers amid the country’s economic challenges.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has continued to call for a comprehensive review of salaries, insisting that workers deserve a living wage that reflects present-day economic realities rather than merely guaranteeing survival.
The average retail price paid by consumers for Premium Motor Spirit, popularly known as petrol, rose to N1,532.93 per litre in April 2026, representing a 23.69 per cent increase compared to the N1,239.33 recorded in the corresponding period of 2025, findings by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) have shown.
The sharp rise in petrol prices came amid mounting inflationary pressure and worsening living costs, with Nigerians grappling with soaring transportation and food expenses that have continued to shrink household purchasing power.
The NBS disclosed this in its Premium Motor Spirit (Petrol) Price Watch for April 2026, released on Friday.
The report further showed that on a month-on-month basis, petrol prices rose by 18.97 per cent from N1,288.54 recorded in March 2026, underscoring persistent volatility in the downstream petroleum market.
A breakdown of prices across states revealed that Yobe recorded the highest average retail price for petrol at N1,599.05 per litre during the review period.
Edo and Bauchi followed closely with average prices of N1,595.74 and N1,589.07, respectively.
However, Niger residents paid the least for petrol at an average of N1,403.89 per litre, while Sokoto and Katsina recorded N1,404.16 and N1,406.28 respectively.
At the zonal level, the South-South recorded the highest average retail price at N1,566.76 per litre, while the North-West posted the lowest at N1,508.81.
The latest petrol price increase comes as millions of Nigerians continue to battle the ripple effects of rising inflation, with higher energy costs worsening transportation fares and the prices of essential commodities.
Similarly, the NBS said the average retail price for refilling a 5kg cylinder of Liquefied Petroleum Gas, also known as cooking gas, rose by 13.73 per cent month-on-month to N8,706.93 in April 2026 from N7,655.73 recorded in March.
On a year-on-year basis, the price increased by 10.42 per cent from N7,885.60 recorded in April 2025.
Lagos recorded the highest average price for refilling a 5kg cylinder at N9,745.10, followed by Nasarawa at N9,451.70 and Bayelsa at N9,422.74.
In contrast, Anambra recorded the lowest average price at N7,204.76, while Ondo and Ogun followed with N7,239.49 and N7,825.75, respectively.
At the regional level, the North-West recorded the highest average retail price for refilling a 5kg cylinder at N9,025.07, followed by the North-East at N8,847.16, while the South-East posted the lowest average price at N8,224.37.
Also, the average retail price for refilling a 12.5kg cylinder of cooking gas increased by 13.89 per cent month-on-month to N22,382.20 in April 2026 from N19,652.83 in March.
Compared to April 2025, the price rose by 10.43 per cent from N20,268.06.
According to the NBS LPG Price Watch for April, Katsina recorded the highest average retail price for refilling a 12.5kg cylinder at N25,596.71, followed by Kogi at N24,558.25 and Gombe at N24,438.97.
Ogun recorded the lowest average price at N19,564.36, while Bauchi and Anambra followed at N20,178.87 and N20,511.90 respectively.
The North-West recorded the highest zonal average retail price for refilling a 12.5kg cylinder at N23,276.95, followed by the North-Central at N22,865.29, while the South-East posted the lowest average at N21,060.92.
The latest figures signal growing pressure on household energy costs, raising concerns over the implications for inflation and the cost of living in the coming months.
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