Kogi State University (KSU)
chapter of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has dragged Governor
Yahaya Bello to court over the ban on its activities within the university.
The Acting Chairman of the union
in KSU, Dr Daniel Aina, told newsmen yesterday that apart from challenging the
ban on the union’s activities, ASUU was also challenging the sack of 120
academic staff of the institution by government.
The union said it resorted to
court after every attempt at reconciliation was rebuffed by the state
government.
Aina said: “The government of
Kogi State, the governing council and management of Kogi State University,
Anyigba, have taken steps which violate our fundamental human right and flouted
the rules and regulations governing our contractual intercourse with the
University. We thought it is common knowledge that proscription of a trade
union is beyond the jurisprudence of an Executive Governor.
“We have given time for this
error to be corrected. The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) made an attempt to
wade into the matter, highlighting its illegality, but it was rebuffed. Twice
we were at the office of the Honourable Minister for Labour and Productivity,
Dr Chris Ngige in his bid for reconciliation but, the Government of Kogi State
never showed up.
“ASUU has made a request to have
audience with the Governor of Kogi State in a bid to finding a common ground
for reconciliation, which was equally dishonored out rightly.
“It must be noted that while ASUU
was in a protracted strike of “seven months”, no move was ever made by the
Government of Kogi State or the Governing Council to reach a common ground.
“It was always either injunction
or instruction to resume work without any pragmatic steps to resolve the issues
at stake. To us, this does not portray responsible leadership.”
The union regretted that
academics that found themselves in management positions were working against
the interest of its members, noting that the legal action was the only avenue
remained to salvage the situation.
Aina continued: “ASUU has gone to
court to seek for redress of the contentious issues to wit: the Proscription of
ASUU KSU, Anyigba and the termination of the appointment of 120 academic staff
members of Kogi State University, Anyigba.
“It is pathetic and unfortunate
that taking a cursory look at the list of the purportedly sacked lecturers,
identifying the courses they teach, the reallocation of such courses and
identifying those who are assigned to teach those courses, it is crystal clear
that the ‘one ready to kill has met the one ready to die’ while not knowing
that there is no one to bury.
“KSU, Anyigba has degenerated
almost beyond the pre-2005 era. Unethical practices are done with imminent
colossal damage in an effort to create the impression that all is well within
the system. Unqualified persons (Technologists, members of the National Youth
Service Corps (NYSC) and other non-teaching staff) are being co-opted to teach
courses and supervise student projects.
“In several departments,
postgraduate programmes have folded up completely and where there seems to
exist, they are being handled by unqualified persons; where a number of Ph.D
and master’s degree students did their external defenses without the knowledge
of their major supervisors.”
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