The Ibadan Zonal Coordinator of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) Professor Segun Ajiboye has condemned the suspension of six executive members of the union by the Vice Chancellor of Kwara State University (KWASU) Professor Abdul-Rasheed Na’Allah for participating in union activities.
According to Professor Ajiboye, the action of the university was autocratic, anti-union, undemocratic and a breach of the fundamental rights of the academic staff members to freedom of association granted by the Nigerian constitution after dully informing the management of the Institution of its plan to hold a congress.
The six suspended lecturers included Dr Dauda Adeshola (Chairman), Dr Gafaru Olaiwola Olorisade (Secretary), Professor Innocent Okoye, Professor Christopher Odetunde, Dr Ayotunde Alao and Paul Kunle Dairo.
The suspended members were barred from having access to the university campus; will face Senior Staff disciplinary committee; hand-over all university properties in their possession to the Head of Department or Provost; and will be placed on half salary until the resolution of the matter.
Kwara State University is under the Ibadan Zone of ASUU being coordinated by Professor Segun Ajiboye.
Professor Ajiboye said in a release that academic Staff members at the Kwara State University have been granted observer status in ASUU at the last National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held at the Imo State University, Owerri from 10th to 11th October, 2015.
While asking the university administration to recall the suspended ASUU members, the ASUU boss called on the APC governor of Kwara State, Abdulfattah Ahmed to prevail on the university administration to allow free unionism and academic freedom for the total liberation of education struggle in Nigeria.
In a letter titled ‘Suspension from Duty’ signed by the Registrar, Kwara State University (KWASU), Surajudeen Oyebode and addressed to the suspended members, the institution claimed that “It has been reported to the University management that on Tuesday 28th, 2015 you were among a group of academic staff found holding a meeting in the Visual and Performing Arts (VPA) Open Theatre for which no permission was granted for the use of the facility.
“In an attempt by the Chief Safety Officer of the University to explain to the gathering that the facility could not be used for the meeting since there was no permission sought or granted, he was not only abused in the process, he was harassed as well by the group”
According to the University, “Using the VPA Open Theatre without official permission and harassing and abusing an officer of the University while performing his lawful duty have been deemed to be acts of gross misconduct which are not only inimical to the integrity of the University but also undermined the authority of the University”
Consequently, the registrar stated that the university management approved the suspension of the six academic staff with immediate effect until further notice having “contravened the extant provisions of the Code of Conduct for Staff”
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