No going back on sacked Unilorin lecturers

Taiwo Adisa and Soji Eze Fagbemi, Abuja
- 18.03.2008

The Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Julius Okojie, on Monday ruled out the possibility of the Federal Government recalling the 49 lecturers of the University of Ilorin (Unilorin).

Prof. Okojie, who spoke at a hearing by the Senate Committee on Education, said the lecturers were retired and that their benefits were paid.

But his submissions were contradicted by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), which insisted that the lecturers were sacked by the Federal Government.

The Dr. Abdullahi Sule-Kano-led ASUU had also appeared before the Senate Committee on Education headed by Senator Joy Emordi on Monday.

ASUU said the letter of termination of appointment of the lecturers indicated that their services were no longer needed. The lecturers insisted that such a letter was different from retirement letter.

The Senate committee is investigating the situation in the education sector, especially the threat to embark on strike by the academic staff.

Senator Emordi had told the meeting that the committee was out to prevent the planned strike by ASUU on the sack of the Unilorin teachers.

She said the committee was disposed to using diplomacy to resolve the matter.