The Kogi State University (KSU) has re-opened, five months after it was shut when workers went on an indefinite strike. The resumption followed a peace deal initiated by Governor Yahaya Bello. But, the agreement is being threatened by the proscription of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU). MOHAMMED YABAGI reports.
The Kogi State University (KSU), Anyigba, has been re-opened, five months after it was shut when workers went on an indefinite strike.
The resumption followed a peace meeting held on the campus, at the instance of Governor Yahaya Bello.
But, the agreement is being threatened by last week’s proscription of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU). Lecturers said they might not return to work, if the school did not unban the union’s within two weeks.
The school was a beehive penultimate week following the visit of Bello, who met with members of ASUU, Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) and students.
The visit was not without drama. The meeting, earlier scheduled to hold on July 10, was cancelled because of what a source called “an unfavourable security report”. The meeting was deferred till July 11.
On sighting the governor’s entourage moving towards the campus, students trooped out to welcome him. They trailed the governor’s convoy from the school entrance to the Professor Idachaba Lecture Theatre, venue of the meeting.
As the stakeholders settled down for business, Bello said the meeting was to seek an end to the strike. But he rejected the kolanut offered by the workers as a symbol of peace.
He told his hosts: “I know kolanut symbolises peace, but what is the essence of offering and eating it, if we cannot arrive at a compromise that would bring amicable solution and allow the students return to their classes?”
The governor said it was no longer realistic for the government to continue paying the workers’ salaries when the payment voucher was over-bloated. This, he said, necessitated the extension of the staff screening and verification to the state-owned tertiary institutions. He appealed with the workers to consider the students’ plight and end the strike.
Bello said he would no longer fire workers employed between 2015 and last year, promising to pay them, and lecturers on sabbatical.
The Auditor-General, Yusuf Okala, who chaired the staff screening and verification, gave the university’s staff strength before and after the exercise.
According to Okala, the university had 1,744 workers before the screening started last year; 1,193 staff were cleared and had received their full salaries. Okala said 337 workers were found wanting, out of which 161 were given clemency by the government. He said that 63 workers had no records, adding that six were found to have been collecting salary from double sources.
Okala said institution’s wage bill as at January, last year, was N194.3 million monthly or N2.3 billion yearly.
The Students’ Union Government (SUG) leaders went on their knees and begged the governor to prevail on the workers to end their strike. Replying, Bello said ASUU would not go on strike again under his watch.
After a July 13 congress, ASUU said its strike would continue. However, the students were disappointed when ASUU announced that the strike would continue.
Its action drew the students’ ire. Many abused the teachers, describing them as selfish.
ASUU Chairman Dr. Gbenga Aina told our reporter that the matter was being handled by the union’s zonal leadership. The university chapter of ASUU, he said, could not decide to call off the strike. He said experiences had taught the lecturers not to trust the government.
In a memo signed by the Registrar, Dr Idu Abubakar, the management ordered lecturers back to work. It directed the Provost of College of Health Sciences and deans of faculties to open an attendance register to ensure compliance.
But, ASUU said its members would not resume “fully”, if the school did not unban the union.
The memo proscribing the union reads: “All members of academic staff are advised to note that they will be treated based on their individual terms and conditions of employment. Any member of staff that fails to resume …’’
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