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By Gabriel Dike
Federal College of Education (Technical) (FCET), Akoka is engulfed in a crisis over tenure elongation allegation against the Provost, Ademola Azeez.
The non-teaching staff of FCET, Akoka wants the provost to vacate the office by the end of May but he has insisted otherwise.
A planned protest against the alleged tenure elongation, which was scheduled for yesterday, was cancelled.
Ahead of the botched protest, Daily Sun learnt that the college management had invited security agents since Friday to monitor the situation.
Joint Action Committee (JAC) of Staff Union of FCET, Akoka on April 8, 2024 petitioned the Federal Ministry of Education to implement the Federal College of Education ACT, 2023 to avoid a crisis in the colleges of education sector.
The two staff unions at the forefront of seeking the provost to vacate office are Senior Staff Union of Colleges of Education (SSUCOEN) and Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) but the junior workers after pressure pulled out of the struggle.
Another group, Concerned Staff of FCET, Akoka emerged to take up the struggle and the promoters said the new group includes academic and non-teaching.
The group claimed it has mobilised many staff for the protest and that they were aware the college management has invited security agents to arrest their members.
A source told Daily Sun that by Sunday night, the group had sent text messages to members that the planned protest had been cancelled.
The ministry, in a two-page response, said a provost appointed before the commencement of the Act shall be deemed to be serving five-year single tenure and would not have the right for a renewal for a further four years.
The letter signed by the Director, Legal Services, E. B. Azorbo, said the provost serving a second tenure would be deemed to be serving the last term of office without any further extension.
The ministry noted: “Since the provost has been appointed for the second term of four years when the amendment Act came into force, he is, therefore, deemed by the Act to be serving his last term of office.”
The education ministry urged the staff unions that any further grievances on the tenure issue should be taken to the governing council of the college for consideration.
In a swift reaction, the concerned staff rejected the interpretation of the Federal College of Education Act by the federal ministry of education.
In a text to message, a member of the group said: “Let me further reiterate here that the letter going around as reappointment is a misgiving.
That is a reply to a letter addressed to JAC of both NASU and SSUCOEN, which wrongly addressed the tenure-ship of the provost as contained in the Act Section 13 subsection 7(a&b).
“Section 7a states less than five years, while Section 7b states more than five years. Therefore, the tenure-ship of provost of Akoka falls in Section 7(a) and not (b) as mistakenly or erroneously posited in the said to SSUCOEN and NASU, Akoka chapter.
“Hence, all Concerned Staff of FCE T, Akoka will go ahead with the protest against manipulation until justice is served. No letter of second term has been served after the commencement of the Act.
“I, therefore, urge all staff to go into the protest in a very mature and peaceful manner and shun all forms of intimidation. Protest against oppression is our right. No retreat, no surrender.”
A management of the college told Daily Sun that some people interested in the post are using the non-teaching staff to create unnecessary tension in the institution.
He said the provost has not violated the provisions of the Federal Colleges of Education Act and that one of the staff unions pulled out of the struggle based on the directive of its national body.
