Kogi Gov Must Obey Court Order, Reinstate Sacked KSU Lecturers – ASUU

The Academic Staff Union of Universities, Abuja zone, has
criticised Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State for allegedly
refusing to reinstate the 135 sacked lecturers of the Kogi State
University.
The ASUU Abuja Zonal Coordinator, Dr Theophilus Lagi, who
addressed news men on Monday at the University of Abuja,
said the state government must obey a court judgment
ordering the reinstatement of the lecturers.
Lagi said the failure to do such was a violation of the rule of
law.
The union also criticised the state government for failing to pay
the workers’ salaries despite “the huge monthly revenue of
N8bn accruing to the state.”
The state government had on August 14 sacked the striking
lecturers for their refusal to return to work.
The sacking followed the proscription of the ASUU KSU chapter
by the governor after the institution resumed from a seven-
month strike. The lecturers had allegedly refused to resume
work after the strike.
Lagi, on Monday, however, took a swipe at the state
government for allegedly refusing to obey a court order on the
lecturers.
He said, “Prior to the mass sacking of lecturers, the university
had an academic staff strength of less than 400, forcing it to
rely heavily on visiting and adjunct lecturers for its main
academic business. This depletion in the core and regular
academic staff strength means nothing but doom for all
academic programmes mounted by the university.
“Academic activities in the university are currently being
carried out by low- profile, inexperienced staff, assisted by
members of the National Youth Service Corps and
technologists. This mass sacking of the lecturers will have
grave implications for accreditation and even current quality of
graduates and their employability.
“ASUU sought the intervention of the courts in the entire
charade going in the university. A court of competent
jurisdiction has since ruled, restraining the governor and
ordering him to return to the status quo ante in the case of
these 135 sacked lecturers.
“We call on the administration of Kogi State University,
Anyigba, and its visitor, Mr Yahaya Bello, to respect the rule of
law and let the voice of reason prevail.”