University of Nigeria, Nsukka, UNN, workers made good their threat on Monday as they continued their joint protest calling for the removal of the university’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Bartho Okolo.
The workers, who just returned from Christmas and New Year break started the protest on December 18, 2013.
They are urging the Federal Government to reinstate the suspended Pro-chancellor of the university, Dr. Emeka Enejere and remove Okolo on allegation of corruption and financial recklessness.
They were led during the protest under the platform of Joint Action Committees (JAC), by University union leaders, who included Dr. Ifeanyichukwu Abada, ASUU, Godfrey Ugwu, NASU, Mr Anthony Onwu of NATT and Mr Paul Obodoike of SSANU.
The protest started with a prayer session at the UNN Freedom Square, after which the workers marched to the second gate opposite Zik’s Flat hostels, chanting solidarity songs.
As result of the protest, all academic and administrative activities have remained paralysed in the institution.
Addressing journalists, spokesman of JAC, Abada, chairman of ASUU-UNN said that workers want government to remove the VC for allegedly running the university as his personal business.
They equally demanded the setting up of a panel of inquiry to probe the VC.
He said, “Government should reinstate the suspended pro-chancellor or make public the offence he committed.
“UNN workers want government to remove Okolo and set up a panel of inquiry to probe him on his financial recklessness and refusal to adhere to due process in awarding contracts”.
Abada said that the protest was one of the ways the workers were using to show that they were not comfortable with Okolo’s administration, adding that “we will continue to carry this protest until justice is done through government’s intervention”.
