IN a bid to ensure lasting peace in the university, the governing council of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) has directed that the 23 sacked members of staff of the university be reabsorbed.
They were sacked by the Council under the erstwhile Pro-Chancellor/Chairman of Council, Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe and the Vice -Chancllor, Professor Olusola Oyewole.
The sacked staff members were mainly of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), the “three whistleblowers” Messers Lasun Somoye, Abdulsalaam Sobbor and E.A Bankole, who wrote a petition to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on the alleged of corruption and abuse of office against the duo of Ogulewe and Oyewole.
Tribune Online recalled that the entire executive members of SSANU led by Comrade Rotimi Fasunwon, were equally sacked by the institution governing council while three medical doctors, two health workers were relieved of their appointments by Oyewole.
However, the Governing Council, under the acting chairmanship of Chief Olukayode Akindele, who was recently appointed by the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, in a statement issued by the Head, Directorate of Public Relations, Mrs. Emi Alawode, said the affected workers would soon be reinstated.
The decision, according to her, was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of the 91st Meeting of the Governing Council, held recently, at the National Universities Commission (NUC), Abuja and signed by the Acting Registrar and Secretary to Council, Mr. Obafemi Oginni.
Alawode said the Council in the communique asked the sacked workers to each forward a Letter of Appeal to the Secretary , Council Committee on Investigation of the Lingering Industrial Unrest and Tension, to the acting Registrar’s office within the next 48-hours.
Some of th resolutions agreed at at the end of the meeting was the constitution of the Council Committee to Investigate the Lingering Industrial Unrest and Tension in the University with the following Terms of Reference: to receive appeals from aggrieved members of staff; to investigate and identify the remote and immediate causes of the unrest and tension, as well as identify the institutional and structural factors responsible for the unrest.
Others are: to identify any other predisposing factors to the unrest; to recommend immediate measures for rectifying the current situation; to recommend lasting measures and strategies for conflict-resolution in the University; to make any other recommendations, which may be germane to the maintenance of order and good governance in the University; to ascertain the culpability of persons and groups in the crisis and to propose appropriate sanctions and deterrence for such persons and groups so identified.
The Governing Council also directed all other staff on industrial action to resume at their duty posts immediately in the best interest of the University and ensure that they do not engage in any conduct that could constitute any breach of peace and good governance in the University; while it enjoins all parties to withdraw all civil cases in the courts to allow the Council Committee to function properly.
The Council acknowledged that normal academic and administrative activities are on-going in the University and urges staff to continue to positively contribute towards restoring peace and normalcy in the University, while affirming that Professor Olusola Oyewole, remains the Vice-Chancellor of the University.
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