Alvan Strike: Unions Dissociate Selves, as Council Insists on Provost’s Tenure Completion
Amby Uneze in Owerri
The Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) and the Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU) of the Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education (AIFCE), Owerri have disssociated themselves from the seven-day warning strike declared by some unions of the institution over the provost’s tenure completion, even as the governing council has insisted that the provost must complete her tenure by next year.
In a statement, the Secretary of NASU, Eze Maduakor and Chairman of COEASU, Dr. Nkechi Wachuku, said their members were not part of the warning strike as they were directed by their national body not to be part of the strike because it had nothing to do with their members’ welfare.
“The national headquarters have directed us to keep off from the politics of provost’s completion of tenure. Be warned that NASU never declared any strike. Any NASU member that joins in the illegally declared strike in the college does that at his/her own risk. Remember the federal government policy of no work, no pay.”
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Governing Council, Hon. Alex-Hart insisted on the decision of the council that the provost should complete her tenure by June 15, 2018, adding that council will not rescind its earlier decision to allow the Provost, Prof. Blessing Ijioma complete her tenure, despite the warning strike embarked by a section of the house unions of the college.
Hart said the decision of the council to allow the provost complete her tenure was in line with the extant laws of the college and the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He stressed that the council will not go back on its decision, adding that the representatives of the Federal Ministry of Education and all the relevant education bodies were part of the decision to allow the provost serve out her second tenure in office, which he said will terminate by June 2018.
“Every decision we took was in line with the extent laws of the college and that of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. All the documents we laid our hands on proved that the provost has a running tenure that will expire in 2018 and it was only lawful that she finishes her constitutional tenure of office.”
Asked if the council would rescind its decision over the action of the workers, he said: “The decision of the governing council is final. We acted based on law. I hope the striking workers also acted based on law.” But the coalition of the four House Unions had declared a one week warning strike to protest the decision of the council to elongate the tenure of the provost.
Briefing journalists on the campus, the spokesperson of the unions, Dr. Bede Onwuagboke said the warning strike was to compel the council to direct the provost to proceed on compulsory retirement having reached the age of retirement.
“We demand among other things that the provost should proceed on retirement immediately in accordance with the scheme of service of the college of education system and someone should be appointed from the abundant and ably qualified academic staff in the college as acting provost.”