Mr Sunoe Longbam, Chairman of the union made the call in a news conference on Tuesday in Jos.
News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) reports Mutfwang had sacked the Vice Chancellor of the Plateau University, Bokkos, Plateau Polytechnic, Barkin-Ladi, College of Education, Gindri, Colleges of Health Technology Zawan and Pankshin.
The governor also appointed acting heads to oversee the affairs of the institutions.
Longbam maintained that the sack was not in consonance with the extant laws establishing the institutions.
“The position of the Chief Executives of these intuitions were advertised, interviews were conducted and they were found appointable; their appointments were in accordance with the Edicts and Laws that established those institutions.
“We wander which criteria was used in removing the heads of the tertiary institutions; their removal were not in line with the extant laws governing the institutions and so the union is shocked with this development.
”Especially that our dear governor is a beneficiary of law and justice, we are afraid that these act might be counter productive with gross and unimaginable consequence in the accreditation of our academic programs.
“Again without minding the position of the Edit, we are again confronted with what the government termed “temporary appointment” even where exists Deputies and which by law should rightly be given such positions.
“How can we have temporary heads of where there exists deputies? This is in total disregard to the laws guiding the operation of these institutions,”he said.
The chairman, who said that the sack of the heads had posed serious threats to the existence of the institutions, called on the governor rescind his decision.
“This is a serious setback in our quest for a better educational system in the state; we are really worried about the future of our tertiary education in the state.
”We demand that government should re-visit its action for the sake of industrial harmony,”he said.
Longbam also emphasised that the cancellation of recruitments in tertiary institutions, saying that the action will constitute a setback in the institutions
“The issue of employment was a product of agreement reached with government leading to the recruitment of staff in October, 2022.
”This was to bridge the gap in manpower in the tertiary Institutions, but in June, 2023 the newly employed staff were suspended by the government.
“We acknowledge the intention of government to verify and review the entire process, the committee’s white paper report was very explicit; it did not cancel the employment done in tertiary institutions rather recommended that the white paper report be implemented but was delayed for some reasons not known until the outright cancellation.
“This action will definitely constitute a setback in our tertiary institutions. It is sad that it is the educational sector that government chose to politicise when we expect pro-activeness in the sector.
“We wish to request that government should have a rethink and isolate candidates with questionable issues and reinstate the staff who are qualified and especially those cleared by successive committees in the interest of industrial harmony.
BY ANKELI EMMANUEL, Sokoto
Worried by the indefinite strike action embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of University (ASUU) Sokoto State University chapter, the state government has concluded that it was a politically motivated action.
Addressing newsmen at the Government House, Sokoto, the state commissioner for Higher Education, Professor Isa Muhammad Maishanu expressed concerns that the management of Sokoto State University (SSU) should rather show some degree of appreciation to the governor Ahmed Aliyu led who have intervened in most of their challanges.
According to Prof. Maishanu, SSU had suffered neglect from previous administration thus leaving the state Ivory tower in a deplorable condition without electricity, dilapidated lecture rooms, and offices which rendered the institution unpalatable.
Continuing, Prof Maishanu said, despite not giving any document regarding assets and liabilities of SSU by the immediate past governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal led government, the present administration of Ahmed Aliyu has restored cash allocation to the institution, payment of the stopped visiting lecturers salaries all in his pursuit of better education for he people of the state.
While stressing that the reasons giving for embarking on the strike by SSU ASUU which include, “Non- implementation of the 25% and 35% salary increase for both non academic and academic staff,
non payment of the check off dues, implementation of 25%-35% increase and the EAA, are issues that could be easily addressed as the governor has constituted committee to look into the complaint after it was presented, Prof. Maishanu appealed to the striking SSU ASUU to give peace a chance.
He added that the committee set up by governor Ahmed Aliyu had “obtained templates and relevant circulars and making frantic consultations with relevant agencies including the Federal Ministry of Labor and Employment on the said matter’.
The Chairman of Northern Youth Wing Christians Association of Nigeria (YOWICAN), Musa Misal, has denied issuing any press statement in support of Rev Yakubu Pam, the former Northern CAN chairman, stating that their allegiance is with Rev John Joseph Hayab.
Misal in a statement issued to journalists said some people wrote an earlier statement and asked him to sign, but he refused because he was present when the State Chairmen in the 19 Northern States and FCT elected Rev John Joseph Hayab as their leader.
“I was present, live and direct when the State Chairmen and Secretaries, together with Christian Stakeholders, elected Rev Joseph John Hayab as chairman, an election that has brought joy and relief to many Christians in the region,” he said.
The Northern States YOWICAN and the general public should disregard the fake statement. We are children of God who will give account before God on the day of Judgement.
“I, therefore, wish to disassociate myself from the “Northern CAN Youth Wing Stands Firm for REV Pam ” press statement and also appeal to any of my colleagues that has allowed anyone to use him to stop henceforth.
“My appeal also goes to the former leaders to stop the desperation and join the joy of the moment with Rev Hayab as our New Chairman,” he added.
EFCC spokesman, Dele Oyewale, said this in a statement issued on Thursday in Abuja.
According to him, their arrest follows credible intelligence linking them to fraudulent internet activities.
”Items recovered from them include seven exotic cars, laptop computers and phones.
”They have made useful statements and will be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded,” he said.
