Workers in the Federal University, Otuoke, (FUO),Bayelsa State, have accused the institution’s
Pro-Chancellor and Chairperson of the Governing
Council, Gbemisola Saraki of running the
university like a personal business without due
process.
The workers under the Joint Action Committee
(JAC) of the university, comprising the Academic
Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the Senior
Staff Association of Nigerian Universities
(SSANU), the National Association of Academic
Technologists (NAAT) and Non-Academic Staff
Union (NASU) faulted Saraki’s leadership style.
They alleged that Saraki failed to receive a
report of a properly-constituted Committee on
Staff Verification established to look into the
issues of staff welfare, promotions and salary
disparity.
The committee, which was also mandated to
verify tax remittances, pension remission,
statutory allowances, confirmation of
appointment, was said to have submitted its
report to the Governing Council.
According to the workers instead of Saraki to
work on the report of the committee, she
abandoned it and unilaterally set up a separate
Ad-Hoc Committee to consider staff welfare and
complaints.
Saraki’s ad-hoc committee was also asked to
probe the protest that occurred in the institution
on May 23, 2017.
The workers in a communique issued last
weekend after the end of their emergency
meeting held at the ASUU Secretariat Complex of
the university, rejected the new ad-hoc
committee.
They insisted on knowing the outcome of the
first committee.
The document was signed by Chairman, ASUU,
Dr. Joseph Omoro; Chairman, SSANU, Kalizibe
Joseph; Chairman, NAAT, Ama Uduma and
Chairman, NASU, Bestman Egba.
They further said that the pro-chancellor was
conducting the meeting of the institution’s
governing council in Abuja instead of FUO.
They threatened to shut down the university if
after 21 days ultimatum, with effect from Friday,
June 23, 2017, the council failed to address all
the issues raised in the communique.
The communique said: ”Members of the unions
demand the immediate release and
implementation of the verification report. In this
way, staff complaints, staff issues and staff
welfare will be resolved and subsequent fallouts
can then be addressed.
”We, therefore, wish to state that the constitution
of another Governing Council Ad-Hoc Committee
on staff complaints, staff issues and staff
welfare is completely unacceptable and is,
therefore, rejected.
”That the failure to release and implement the
original reports on staff verification undermines
the integrity of the council and breaches the
trust between council and unions.
”We forbid any member of the four unions from
participating in the activities of the Ad-hoc
committee either as a member or as a
respondent.
”The Pro-Chancellor should be reminded that the
council is constituted on the basis of
representation to include internal and external
members of the university community, hence the
decision of the council should be collective.”
The workers argued that the establishment of
the ad-hoc committee was deliberately
conceived and designed to create industrial
unrest in the university.
They accused Saraki of making herself a
”demigod” and failing to move the university
forward through collaborations and interactions
and with stakeholders.
The workers appealed to the council to carry out
an assessment tour and audit of all projects in
the university from 2011 to date.
They lamented that the audit was necessary
because of the number of abandoned projects in
the institution, which had become a source of
worry and concern to them.
They also demanded the immediate constitution
of the Central Appraisal and Promotions
Committee (CAPC) to conclude all outstanding
promotions, upgrades and proper placement of
both teaching and non-teaching staff of the
university.
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