Ebonyi State Governor Suspends EBSU ASUU Chairman.
The Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi, has suspended the Ebonyi State University (EBSU) Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Prof. Ndubuisi Idenyi and his predecessor, Prof. Emeka Nwakpor, from the institution for alleged cases of gross misconduct.
The governor, who was speaking during a ‘phone-in-programme’ on Wednesday in Abakaliki, said that both union leaders misinformed lecturers in the university on what transpired at the meeting they held with him on Monday over the strike they embarked upon.
“They politicalised the strike by misinforming the lecturers which is detrimental to the students.
“I, however, urge the lecturers to immediately call off the strike, as we will adopt the ‘no work no pay’ if they refused to heed to my call,” he said.
Umahi also announced the termination of the appointment of the school’s Bursar, Mr Chris Ngwuta with immediate effect.
“I took the decision to terminate the appointment because he was re-appointed without following due process. He was reappointed for a second tenure by the school management without recourse to myself who is the university’s visitor and the state governor; contrary to the laws enacted by the State House of Assembly.
“When I asked the school management, they said he was only re-appointed and that the re-appointment is normally done through the school senate and management.
“I, however, disagreed with this assertion because re-appointment is also a form of appointment and since the visitor made the first appointment, he should also be informed and his accent sought for his re-appointment.
“The enabling law talks about appointment and only mentioned re-appointment once,” he said.
The governor directed the freezing of the accounts of the school until the lecturers resume duties and also announced the withholding of the government’s subventions to the university.
It would be recalled that lecturers in EBSU embarked on the strike this week to protest the insensitivity of the state government to the plight of the academic staff. (NAN)
