From Felix Ikem, Nsukka
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has appealed to the Kogi State government to reinstate 120 academic staff of Kogi State University (KSU), Anyigba
alleged to have been unjustly sacked by the immediate past administration in 2017.
This was contained in a press statement issued in Nsukka on Tuesday, signed by Comrade Onyibo Eze, the Chairman of the University of Nigeria (UNN) ASUU chapter.
Eze said that the termination of the appointment of the 120 KSU academic staff as a result of their participation in the six-month local strike at the university between February and July 2017 in demand of the staff welfare is unjustifiable and amounts to trampling on their rights and privileges.
According to the statement “KSU Anyigba had on February 2nd, 2017, embarked on a total and comprehensive strike to press home among others, their demand for the payment of arrears of salaries and emoluments, including Earned Academic Allowances owed its members, proper funding of the University, university autonomy and guaranteeing of academic freedom.
“The strike action led to the proscription of the ASUU KSU chapter by the then Governor, Yahaya Bello, and the unjust termination of 120 academic staff of the University, which is still a subject of litigation.
“Even in the Industrial Court of Nigeria both Kogi State Government and the KSU management brought no allegations against the 120 sacked staff as the arguments of being on strike cannot fly,” he said
Onyibo expressed sadness that as a result of the unlawful retrenchment, four senior members of the affected KSU staff have died due to the hardship and psychological trauma they passed through during the sack.
“It is unfortunate that these four ASUU members died in the struggle to demand for their rights as well as the welfare of other members.
“It is worthy to note that the same government of Gov. Bello that sacked the 120 academic staff for embarking on strike set up a visitation panel that recommended the reinstatement of the stacked staff.
” But the ex-governor failed to implement the recommendation of the visitation panel till he left office,” he said
The UNN-ASUU Chairman appealed to the incumbent governor of Kogi State Gov. Ahmed Ododo, to kindly use his good office to reinstate the sacked 120 KSU academic staff as recommended by the government visitation panel.
“The UNN chapter of ASUU is making this appeal because KSU is part of the Nsukka Zone of ASUU, whatever affects KSU-ASUU affects all of us in the Nsukka ASUU zone
“This will not only heal the wounds of 7 years of the affected lecturers but would also redress the injustice meted out to these innocent lecturers as well put smiles in their families and relations,” he added
