The Joint Action Committee of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso on Friday held a press conference where it announced that it could resolve to indefinite strike after the review of the situation in the school at the end of an ultimatum issued to the school management.

The committee, comprising the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, National Association of Academic Technologists and Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities, accused Osun and Oyo states, which own the institution of deliberately trying to incapacitate the school so that their state individual universities could survive.

In an address read by SSANU chairman, Alesinloye Muraina, at the event, the committee said both owner states had starved the school of funds.

Muraina added that after promising to make amends, the workers suspended their 16-month strike on October 23, 2017, only for the situation to worsen. It said that a 14-day ultimatum issued to the school management expired on July 31, 2018.

He said, “The government said that the school accounting records were untidy and that forensic auditing would be done by KPMG. The result has yet to be made public. The external auditor discovered that the university can only survive by adequate and proper funding from the two states.

“The issue of allegation of operating 97 accounts was found to be imaginary and a mirage. The action of the two governments is to destroy the last standing legacy of the Yoruba race educationally by their refusal to face their statutory responsibilities to the school and incessant increasing of school fees.

“Governors Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State and Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State have destroyed the mission and vision of the founders of the school. Their mischief is to ensure LAUTECH does not survive so that University of Osun and Technical University, Ibadan can survive.”

While calling on influential Nigerians to appeal to the two governors to save the future of more than 30,000 students in the school, Muraina said that the school’s workers were owed 10 months’ salaries, adding that the Internally Generated Revenue of the school was too little to pay workers and develop infrastructure.

“A congress will be held soon now that the ultimatum has expired. It could lead to an indefinite strike but we urge influential Nigerians from the two states to mediate in the issue so that we can avoid another long strike,” he said.