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Daniel Kanu
The Provost of Abia State College of Education (Technical), Arochukwu, Dr Phillips Nto has said that there is no basis for the staff to contemplate any industrial action since the government was diligently addressing their welfare.
He also warned that the management will strictly enforce the no work, no pay rule should any staff embark on any strike against the directive of the institution.
Dr Nto who spoke at a meeting he held with Deans and Directors of the college frowned at a situation where the academic staff union will advocate any strike just one week after the national body called off its own strike.
The former commissioner for finance said it was also unpatriotic for the local academic union to incite staff to down tools when Gov Okezie Victor Ikpeazu had been magnanimously attending to the welfare of the staff.
The Provost noted that it was also disrespectful to talk of strike when the governor had personally met with the staff and commenced the implementation of the agreement he had with them.
” The governor met with the leadership of the union and they reached an agreement part of which was the payment of one year salaries which they have received. Other issues including accreditation are receiving the attention of the government”, he noted.
Nto expressed disappointment that the union is talking about strike when they should be a concerted effort to attract and sustain a reasonable student population.
He directed the deans and Directors to commence and monitor lectures immediately and also ensure they maintain daily attendance register.
The Provost announced that any Lecturer who absented himself from work will not receive any salaries even as recalcitrant staff risk outright dismissal.
Nto, a world Bank consultant regretted that the union leadership has been infiltrated by disgruntled opposition politicians who want to use it to embarrass the government.
He warned the lecturers against using the classrooms as platforms for partisan politics, warning that those found culpable would also be dismissed from the services of the college.
He called on all the staff to take their jobs seriously, promising that management will continue to do its best to address their welfare.
