FCA staffs ask FG to sack provost

Hon. Linus Okorie

·        *  NASS says bring your petition, declares strike illegal 

Despite the 4^th 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.