By Auwal Mohammed,
Gombe (Nigeria) — Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU) of the Federal College of Education (Technical) Gombe state Northeast Nigeria, has embarked on strike action and urged Federal Government to sack the College Provost Dr. Gimba Abbas, and the Bursar, Mallam Nuhu Palladan.
Secretary of the Union, Dr. Abimbola Nurudeen Gbolahan, disclosed this while speaking to Journalists in Gombe, on Thursday.
Delivering a notification letter on the indefinite strike action, the Union recommended the immediate removal from office, the Provost and the Bursar, due to mismanagement and incompetence in the leadership of the college.
The Union accused the Provost of allowing the Bursar to over-reach his authority and actively involved in operational management of the institution by executing contracts.
“The Union’s Congress unanimously passed vote of no confidence on the College Bursar. The Union shall no longer work with him as a financial Adviser of the college. He should be removed from the office immediately, more so he is not qualified to hold the office of the College Bursar.” He stated.
He further revealed that sometimes in 2012, a fact finding panel recommended the removal of the college Bursar on account of incompetence, but the Provost who is working in connivance with him refused to adhere to the decision of the investigation panel.
In a letter dated 07 June, 2017 addressed and delivered to the Provost, members of COEASU list a number of complaints against the Provost, notably, they expressed displeasure over the way and manner the management is handling matters that affect the Union, despite the Union efforts in exploring all avenues to ensure that there is peaceful and harmonious working relationship between her and the management.
The letter further gave the management a two weeks ultimatum to satisfy all her demands, which includes a letter of apology from the Provost to the Union for the “embarrassment, humiliation and harassment the Provost meted on the secretary of the Union.”
The Union also asked for the immediate restoration and payment of outstanding of Peculiar Academic Allowance, PPA and Conference Attendance Allowance, CCA among other issues.
COEASU in the letter signed by it’s chairman Hamza Adamu Soye and secretary Abimbola Nurudeen Gbolahan, warned that if the management refused to fulfill their recommendation they will be left with the option of embarking on strike.
In another letter dated 20 June 2017 Abbas and Nuhu were also accused by COEASU of violating and disregarding the plea made by the chairman of the college governing body that the balance of the PPA and CCA be paid.
In view of the development, the College chapter of COEASU on Tuesday 11 July 2017 embarked on an indefinite strike action.
In a letter of notification which was also copied to the National Commission of Colleges of Education, NCCE, Security agencies and President COEASU, the Union said the strike action was reached at its Congress meeting on that fateful Tuesday over the endless plight of lecturers on the non-payments of the balance of CCA and PPA of 2016 /2017 session.
