LECTURER'S SACK : SSANU PARALYSES ACTIVITIES AT FUNAAB

Both academic and non-academic activities at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, were paralysed, yesterday, as hundreds of Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities from South Western Zone blocked the access roads to the university in protest over the sack of 23 of their colleagues by the institution’s management.

The protesting SSANU used born fire, vehicles and human shield to obstruct traffic flow to draw attention to what they called injustice and victimisation of members by FUNAAB management while motorists rode on pedestrian road to beat the obstructions. Scores of students, visitors, lecturers and other members of the university community caught unaware by the blockade of the FUNAAB Alabata road, had a hectic time moving to or from the university. Many of the workers simply abandoned their vehicles on the road and trekked while others managed to board the commercial motor – cycles called Okada in threes to access FUNAAB.

Armed Police men, Operative of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and Traffic Wardens drafted to the area in eight Hilux Pick Up vans as well as men from the FUNAAB’s security unit laboured to ensure that the protest did not escalate into violence. The protesters who were kept one kilometer away from the school gate by the institution’s security men while they vowed to paralyse the activities until their sacked members were reinstated.

Addressing the gathering, National Vice -President Western zone, SSANU, Alfred Jimoh, called for an “immediate and unconditional recall” of their sacked colleagues. Jimoh said the sin of his colleagues at FUNAAB is that they asked for probity, accountability and transparency in the handling of the finances of the institution. He however, berated the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for allegedly divulging the identities of the whistleblowers to the Vice – Chancellor, Prof. Olusola Oyewole . He also called for an investigation into the affairs of FUNAAB in the last four years, adding that “ if the Federal government is indeed sincere in its Anti – corruption war, the searchlight should be beamed at FUNAAB.”

The management of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, last Thursday sacked 23 of the non – teaching staff of the university. The decision to sack the affected workers was reached at a meeting chaired by the Chairman of the Council, Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe, who was reportedly also interrogated recently by the EFCC.