Hon. Linus Okorie |
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NASS says bring your petition, declares strike illegal
Despite the 4th December
reconciliation meeting held at the National Assembly (NASS), the members of
three staff unions at the Federal College of Agriculture, Moorplantation have
demanded the removal of the school provost by the Federal Government (FG) as
they expressed dissatisfaction for not being heard at the Abuja meeting chaired
by the House committee on colleges of agriculture, Hon. Linus Okorie who
reacted saying the illegality of the unions’ strike was the reason why all the
parties were not allowed to talk.
A reliable
source revealed that the members of the three unions in the college may have
concluded to embark on a petition to sack the provost for fund misappropriation
and insensitivity to students’ need in
terms of practical training towards extension knowledge transfer to farmers, a
core mandate of the Institute cum total lack of management skill. The source
said the petition would be forwarded to the Presidency and all necessary
authorities for action.
In a chat with Hon. Okorie on the feeling of
staff unions, he said it was a pity but there was nothing his committee could
do since the national bodies of the association have denied being aware of the
local strike, and the national assembly cannot join in such illegality for the
sake of precedence adding that was why we asked any aggrieved party to follow
due process to carry out their demand.
Food Farm News checks on the outcome of the NASS
meeting revealed that the national strike of NASU and SSAUTHRAI with the
exception of ASUP may have hindered the directives of National Assembly
ordering all parties to get back to work while any aggrieved party can now bring
up its petition for action as an anonymous person told us that the staffs apart
from the ongoing national strike have never embarked on any, but rather only on
protests and non-attendance of classes occasioned by the management closure of
the college more than five times in three years of the provost.
The source said that there was a verbal
argument yesterday morning between the provost and one of the NASU union
members who was threatened with sack if he did not allow other workers to
return to work.
Another source expressed how the unions that
went to attend Abuja meeting with National Assembly, House Committee on
Colleges of Agriculture was disappointed for not being allowed to express the
reason of their protest against the provost saying effort is going on to ensure
petition to the Federal Government (FG) and other authorities towards the sack
of the Engineer (Dr) Babajide Adelekan who they believed must be probed for
allegation of fund misappropriation that may have put the college in a present
deplorable state.
In his reaction, House Committee Chairman,
Colleges of Agriculture, Hon. Linus Okorie said that there was no way any of
the party would have been allowed to say anything under the illegality of the
unions’ strike as the national body of the unions claimed non notification
saying it would have been a legislative error for them to allow anybody under
illegal strike to give any explanation added it would have been a bad
precedence on our part as lawmakers.
According to Hon. Okorie “the truth is that
the national leaderships of the labour unions denied the legitimacy of the
local branches to call out an industrial action. The same was the position of
the representative of the minister of labour who confirmed that by law; only
the national leadership of any union can declare an industrial action. This was
not controverted by any of the parties. In effect, they were acting illegally.
To that extent.
The committee could not proceed to hear further details as one
cannot build something on nothing and expect it to stand. However, all parties
were advised to feel free to subsequently raise any petitions or complaints that
they may harbor after complying with the law and due process, to wit: ensure
normalcy in the institution. We cannot as lawmakers support any illegality by
any party. Accordingly, they have a responsibility to allow normalcy in the
school and then follow due process to address any issue bothering them and we
are willing to take them up squarely”
“Because we are lawmakers, if we go ahead and
cover up that fundamental flaw and start addressing the issue of who is right
or wrong, we would have set a wrong precedence. The important fact is that if
you want to go into strike, go through the normal process. That is the same way
we handle the matter in Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN), and we
apply the same measure in the issue of Akure, we just apply the rule used for
ARCN for Akure. But if they are feeling bad. It is a pity. But I told them that
day to go back and bring their petition to us, to the ministry and any one you
know. Do it, we are not against you. But with this one you have done, it is
illegal. We cannot join matters in illegality. Nobody is avoiding the main
matter or sweeping it under the carpet. So if they have a petition, they should
bring it and the committee will treat it again” said Hon. Okorie.
However several allegations have been levied
against the provost who the unions wanted a probe and auditing to be carried
out, among which the college e-library and other money are being received on
vocational training with many other that would be forwarded in the petition.
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