Kogi varsity ASUU drags govt to court over proscription, sack

 

THE Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) of the Kogi State University, Anyigba, said it had dragged the state government to court over the proscription of the union in the university.

 

The acting chairman, ASUU-KSU, Dr Daniel Aina, told newsmen on Sunday that the apart from challenging the proscription of the union, 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.

He said the actions of the state government had been having negative effect on the university as those recruited to be teaching were far less qualified for the purpose.

He explained that the state government was adamant and openly rejected the avenues for reconciliation, saying that attempts by the minister of labour and productivity, Chris Ngige, and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to wade into the crisis were rebuffed.

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.

The chairman said, “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.”