■ Workers yet to receive salary in four months
■ We exposed corruption, got sacked –SSANU members
■ You did not follow protocol – Ogunlewe, University Council chairman
By Gabriel Dike
IN the past three months or so, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Ogun State, has not known peace due to face-off between the Chairman of the University Governing Council, Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe, Vice Chancellor, Prof. Olusola Oyewole on one hand and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), on the other.
In fact, FUNAAB workers have not been paid their salaries in the past four months not because of lack of fund but as a result of the crisis. Some SSANU members in charge of preparing salaries are said to be withholding the codes, it was alleged. This, Ogunlewe described as a criminal act.
Some SSANU members had, in July and August 2016, sent petitions to the Presidency, Federal Ministry of Education, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) alleging massive corruption against the governing council, the VC and some academic and non-academic staff.
That singular act triggered off the crisis currently rocking the 28-year-old university. In a swift reaction, the university management clamped down on the leadership of the union forcing it to embark first on work-to-rule, and next on protest against the suspension of its former National Vice President, Mr. Emmanuel Bankole, current National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Salaam Abdussobur, and the former PRO SSANU FUNAAB Branch, Mr. Lasun Somoye.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE
PETITION
In their petition the affected staff had drawn the attention of government and its agencies to what they alleged were massive corrupt practices and abuse of office by the council chairman, Senator Ogunlewe and the VC, Prof Oyewole, attributing their decision to embark on the petition to “our own patriotic contribution to the government’s anti-corruption crusade and efforts at making our country great again.’’
They alleged that the VC was involved in contract deals, adding that, “evidences abound where the VC gave approvals for release of funds beyond his approving threshold in contravention of Financial Regulations and the Public Procurement Act 2007. These contracts were split and approved without going through the process of Tenders and other Due procedures.’’
They alleged that he engaged in collection of illegal allowances and cited the case of his monthly allowance of N480, 000 backdated to 2012 from 2014 which the former Bursar, Mr. Moses Ilesanmi, refused to honour but after the council chairman approved, he was paid N17, 910, 240.88 million on March 7, 2014.
Ignoring the approved remuneration for chief executive of tertiary institutions which is stated in Public and Judicial Office Holders Act 2002, the petitioners said the VC collected N23, 040,000 above the amount after it was approved by Senator Ogunlewe as against the Act which do no allow or authorize any to add or create other items of remuneration for VCs.
They accused Ogunlewe and Oyewole of violating the extant laws in respect of furniture allowance stating the VC who stay in official quarters is not entitled to N481, 466.25 per annum noting that by this fraudulent action, the university has been defrauded of a whopping sum of N23, 110, 380.’’
On rent/accommodation allowances, the petitioners observed: “the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission (NSIWC) position and advice on the rent allowance is that where an officer is occupying the establishment’s residential quarters, such officer should be charged rent as may be determined by such establishment. However, in violation of this directive and advice, the VC who lives in palatial university residential quarters, fully furnished and maintained by the university without paying a kobo, continues to receive rent allowance.’’
Other allegations made by them include the sharing of university fund in the name of allowances such as marriage of children for council members, in which N3 million is said to have been approved for the council chairman, VC N2. 5 million, Deputy VC, N1.5 million, council members N1 million each. On burial of biological parents, amount approved for Ogunlewe is said to be N2 million, VC N1.5 million, Deputy VC N1 million and members of council N500, 000. They alleged that the amount that has been collected so far for burial and wedding is N16, 500,000 million.
More than these, they also claimed that the Pro-Chancellor placed university N842, 849,895 million in fixed deposit account and the interest generated were paid to him through some academic staff on December 4, 2013 and March 7, 2014. They equally alleged that council members went on overseas jamboree to United Kingdom and Netherlands in April 2016 for N25million.
“This appeal is made in the overall public good and to protect the university from total breakdown and further slide in academic standard and productivity,” they noted in the petition. “We have made the above disclosures as concerned freeborn citizens of Nigeria and as stakeholders in the educational sector. We have no doubt in our minds that the above submissions would be given the true and proper consideration it deserves.”
SUSPENSION OF SENIOR STAFF
On August 19, the VC was invited by EFCC and detained till 20th. After his release, he returned to office and summarily suspended the three signatories to the petition. They were never queried, neither was due process followed, SSANU reports.
The union said it initially pleaded with the VC to recall the suspended officers but when no tangible result came out of its efforts, it issued a public statement declaring that the VC was also on suspension since he was only granted bail by EFCC. But in a counter-move, the university branch of both Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities and Associated Institutions (NASU) called a press conference in support of the VC while castigating SSANU and its leaders.
Based on what it sees as the belligerent attitude of the VC, SSANU embarked on series of protests and rallies. Prominent Nigerians including former President Olusegun Obasanjo and some traditional rulers contacted by the union, tried to mediate but the meetings ended up in deadlock as the VC only agreed to recall the suspended staff on the ground that they agreed to withdraw their petition from EFCC. This, the union maintained was impossible. On October 5, the VC, with the active support of ASUU and NASU, summarily suspended all SSANU excos in FUNAAB.
SYMPATHY SUPPORT FROM SSANU BRANCHES
The suspension and later sack of 23 workers by the Governing Council and university management triggered off series of crisis with several university branches of SSANU storming the campus to express solidarity with their embattled members. The national leadership of SSANU was not left out as the South West Vice President, Mr. Alfred Jimoh and other zonal officers participated in the protest.
But then the protest ran into a hitch when it pitched SSANU members against other sister unions on campus like ASUU, NASU and NAAT (National Association of Academic Technologists). Investigation shows their non-participation in the struggle gave the university management the room it needed to deal with the protesting senior staff.
In an attempt to restore sanity, Prof Oyewole requested for the deployment of more security personnel on campus. But this did not deter the affected staff and their colleagues from continuing with their protest. The university management claimed it issued queries to the 23 sacked SSANU members including the three whistleblowers but they refused to answer. But the affected staff vehemently denied this in a chat with The Sun Education.
REACTIONS ON SACK OF 23 SSANU MEMBERS
Few days after the Chairman of the University Governing Council, Senator Ogunlewe, was quizzed by the EFCC on the alleged fraud and less than 72 hours after the university management suspended the SSANU members including the three whistleblowers, the council sacked 23 workers and thereby triggering off another round of crisis.
The national body of SSANU, after an emergency National Executive Council (NEC) meeting condemned the action of the Senator Ogunlewe-led council and moved to FUNAAB with other branch chairmen and for several days, turned the campus into a battlefield, leading to the grounding of academic and administrative activities.
For five days, SSANU members both at the national and local levels protested the sack, forcing the university principal officers to abandon their offices. The union and the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) condemned the sack while bemoaning the action of the council as vindictive and malicious. Both appealed to President Buhari to order the reinstatement of the sacked senior staff.
At its 29th NEC meeting SSANU said Ogunlewe and Oyewole embarked on reign of terror and clampdown on petitioners following their appearance before the EFCC. They argued that the termination of their members appointment did not follow due process as stipulated by law, considering the fact that the matter is pending in court of competent jurisdiction.
“NEC-in-session was surprised that rather than being commended for playing roles in the national interest, their appointments were terminated as a cover-up and in retaliation for exposing the rot, corruption and fraud inherent within the system and condemns the exposure, hazard and tension which members of the union have been exposed to since the investigation started,’’ the union said in a public statement.
The Governing Council of FUNAAB in a statement said at its 90th statutory meeting, it considered reports on the University stating that “as part of necessary reforms aimed at repositioning the university, the council approved management’s decisions earlier taken to restore normal academic activities and peace to the university.” It commended the efforts of the management and staff, “to sustain the integrity of the university.”
OGUNLEWE’S VIEW ON THE PETITION AND SACKED STAFF
Speaking to The Sun Education on his invitation by the EFCC, two weeks ago, Senator Ogunlewe said the council is not aware of any petition against the VC stressing that, “we all got to know when EFCC invited us. The allegations cannot be investigated by the council; the issues can only be dealt with based on the university autonomous act, FG circular and the wages and salaries commission.’’
He argued that the staff should have reported the allegations of corruption against the VC first to council, head of service and wages and salaries commission before writing to EFCC noting that “under the official secret act, they are not supposed to be in possession of the documents used to petition the EFCC. They stole the university secret documents.’’
According to him, the sack of the FUNAAB workers followed due process. Arguing that under the university law, the VC has the right to suspend any staff, he pointing out “they were warned against misconduct. They held the university to ransom. It is criminal sabotage. Because of the crisis, contractors abandoned sites. They withheld salary code and for three months (four months), staffs have not been paid.’’
On whether the sacked workers were made to face the senior staff disciplinary committee as required in the university system before their appointment was terminated, Senator Ogunlewe said the university management brought the case of misconduct against them and the council acted in the best interest of the university. He denied the allegations by the former Bursar, Mr. Ilesanmi that he and the VC asked him to deposit money into an account.
PASSING A VOTE OF
CONFIDENCE
Based on the petition by the three suspended senior staff, the EFCC recently arraigned Ogunlewe, Prof. Oyewole and former Bursar, Mr. Illesanmi, on 18-count charge bordering on alleged stealing, abuse of office and fraudulent conversion of university property totaling over N800 million, before Justice O.O. Majekodunmi of the Ogun State High Court, Abeokuta.
But in a related development, the Senate of the University has passed a vote of confidence on the Vice Chancellor. A press statement issued and signed by Emi’ Alawode (Mrs), Head, Directorate of Public Relations of the University noted that the Senate during a sitting convened recently noted that it was satisfied and supported all measures taken by the Governing Council and the University Management, to ensure peace, security and unfettered academic activities in the University.
According to the Registrar and Secretary to Senate, Mr. Mathew Ayoola, the Senate stated that the allegations levelled against some officers of the University, were now before a court of competent jurisdiction and hence, reserved comment. It, however, noted that all accused persons are presumed innocent, until proven otherwise by the court.
The Senate, therefore, re-affirmed its confidence in the ability of the Vice-Chancellor to provide academic and administrative leadership during the remaining part of his tenure, adding that the process for the selection of a new Vice-Chancellor for the University, has begun in accordance with the law.
Senate expressed deep concern over the emerging trend in Nigerian universities, where some persons or group of persons in the guise of unionism, acting alone or in concert with internal and external influences, seek to control the levers of administration and undermine the peace and harmony in the system, while it also re-affirmed its resolve to uphold the laws of the University and ensure discipline and good governance at all times.
Mr. Ayoola was quoted to have disclosed that the council disengaged some erring staff from the services of the university for various offences, which includes stealing of university property, insubordination, willful disobedience to lawful instructions, absconding from assigned duty posts, sabotage and other forms of gross misconduct, prejudicial to good governance and peace of the university. “This is in line with the resolve of the governing council to fulfill its statutory roles of ensuring the stability of the university.’’
The council urged all staff to be dedicated to their duty noting that, “necessary steps are being taken to attend to issues of welfare, such as promotions, staff training and development while reiterating its resolve not to entertain any form of indiscipline in the university.’’