The suspension of the University of Calabar (UNICAL) Bursar, Mr Peter Agi, by the Vice-Chancellor (VC), Prof Zana Akpagu, has sparked a row between students and workers. Some students nearly clashed with some workers who protested against Agi for what they called impersonation, gross misconduct and highhandedness.
This of if a Vice-Chancellor (VC) can suspend a Bursar without the Governing Council’s approval? Is the basis of a crisis at the University of Calabar (UNICAL), following the suspension of the Bursar, Mr Peter Agi, by the VC, Prof Zana Akpagu,for alleged gross misconduct, highhandedness, impersonation and absenteeism.
The confrontation was, however, averted. Thanks to the maturity displayed by the protesters led by the Protocol Officer, Mr. Godwin Iyam.
It was gathered that some students, led by the Students’ Union Government (SUG) President, Daniel Joseph, held a solidarity protest for the embattled bursar, warning the anti-Bursar demonstrators not to destabilise the school. The students disrupted the protest at the Administrative Block.
The aggrieved members of staff told the students to stay off the matter, saying their protest had nothing to do with academics. But, the students were adamant, screaming: “Peter Agi is our man”, “Mr. P, na you be our own”, “UNICAL Bursar is our own”. It took the intervention of riot policemen to disperse the students, who vowed to oppose any move by the institution to suspend the Bursar.
Some students criticized the SUG president’s action, urging the management to investigate the union’s protest.
The aggrieved staffers accused the Bursar of taking “unilateral decisions” without carrying the VC along. They also accused Agi of being selective in paying staff salaries and allowances, adding that he usually delayed payment to contractors.
The management suspended activities of the union after the protest. The letter of suspension of the union activities reads: “Following advice by Deputy Chief Security Officer of the university and other concerned staff that the students union should stay away from crisis involving some aggrieved staff and the Bursar, the students union refused to adhere to the advice and went ahead to mobilise students and miscreants to disrupt the peaceful protest organized by the staff.
“The action resulted in a scuffle between your group and security personnel, some of whom sustained injuries and loss of their personal possessions, like wristwatches, wedding bands and cell phones.
“In the light of the above, the student’s union leaders are hereby suspended from office with immediate effect, pending further actions by the university management. You are by this letter advised to handover all university property in your possession to the Deputy Chief Security Officer.”
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