The management of the Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA) has said it would not upturn the decision of two successive governing councils to reinstate the workers facing disciplinary action.
The Registrar and Secretary to the Council, Dr. M.O. Ajayi, said in a statement that the erring workers should forfeit their salary for the period under sanction, as decided by the councils as conditions of the amnesty before their reinstatement.
She said this was the cause of the conflict between the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Western zone and the FUTA management when they came for the 48th quarterly meeting, which coincided with the matriculation.
Dr. Ajayi advised SSANU to stay off the affairs of the workers and management of the university if it cannot use its office to improve their relationship.
She debunked a report published in The Nation on March 30 headlined: “SSANU threatens showdown with FUTA VC”, saying it was the Zonal Chairman of SSANU, Mr. Jimoh, who ended the meeting abruptly, as he and other top officials of the association walked out on the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Adebiyi Daramola and other principal officers.
She said the entreaties of the principal officers of FUTA to allow the meeting continue were rebuffed.
Dr. Ajayi said FUTA was disappointed in the manner the group approached the issue.
The school, she said, is responsive to the issues relating to the welfare of its workers at all levels, stressing that its cardinal principle is consensus building through dialogue because “it will not detract from it.”
Dr. Ajayi said: “Prior to their arrival, the management received a notice of their intention to pay a courtesy call on the VC and the management made the necessary arrangement for the meeting.
“The university provided the necessary logistic support to facilitate a hitch-free meeting, including change of venue of this year’s matriculation to another location to accommodate SSANU’s request.
“As part of preparation, two days to SSANU’s meeting, the VC caused an internal memorandum to be issued to the principal officers and relevant directors to attend the courtesy meeting to accord due recognition to the visiting SSANU officials.”
She said the effort of the university management in providing a conducive environment for the meeting showed high expectations of the union’s executive at such level of representation.
