Palpable tension has enveloped the Akwa Ibom State College of Education (CoE), Afaha Nsit in Nsit Ubium local government area of Akwa Ibom State over the suspension of four lecturers for alleged “unprofessional conduct”.
The problem, our correspondent gathered, has grounded academic activities in the institution in the last one month, forcing the state chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) led by Comrade Sunny James, to threaten protest.
Worried by the lingering crisis, the State House of Assembly Committee on Education, yesterday waded into the matter and summoned all parties in the dispute to a meeting with a view to resolving the matter.
Speaking to our correspondent after the emergency closed-door meeting in the Assembly Committee room, the chairman and member representing Ibiono Ibom constituency, Obong Godwin Ekpo, disclosed that “the main discussion centered on the need to ensure that peace returns to the Institution, bearing in mind that any academic environment where there’s no peace and understanding, successful academic operations cannot thrive.”
He assured that the suspended lecturers would be re-instated during the next meeting on August 16, 2022, as a condition towards the return of peace to the troubled education institution.
“There is all indication that peace is going to reign in the College of Education, Afaha Nsit because the Provost, Dr Daniel Udo, and management has given the Committee the assurance that this will be achieved before 16th of August, 2022.
“The matter is going to be resolved because we have told them to see the need why the matter should be resolved and they all agreed. The lecturers that were suspended will be reinstated and whatever might have been the grey arrears will be addressed,” Ekpo stressed.
Elated at the successful outcome of the dialogue, the state’s NLC chair, Sunny James, assured that “the planned protest by labour at the College of Education, Afaha Nsit will be shelved because of the new development emanating from our meeting today (yesterday)”.
“We have agreed that there should be peace, for without peace in that Campus, nothing tangible can happen”, he added.
Other issues in dispute include non-payment of 2% check off dues, non-payment of promotion arrears since 2019, non-payment of academic allowance, illegal suspension of staff from duty and excess workload since 2011 and wrong process of suspension of lecturers.
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