Following the orders by the Federal Government, urging all universities to re-open, the Senate of the Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO) Tuesday sacked all academic staff with immediate effect.
The Federal Government had through the Supervising Minister of Education, Nyesom Wike had vow to sack any lecturer who fails to return to class within seven days, and had directed vice-chancellors of federal universities that are currently on strike to immediately re-open for academic and allied activities.
The Public Relations Officers (PRO) of the institution, Mr Chike Ezenwa, speaking with the Nigerian Tribune in Owerri, said the senate of the university had declared all the positions of academic staff in the institution, adding that they would be advertised starting from Monday, December 2.
The senate said it had already compiled the list of vacant positions in the school. The school authority have urged those willing to resume would be adequately protected.
Education Minister, Wike had said,“All Vice-chancellors of Federal Universities that are on strike should immediately reopen for academic and allied activities as directed by their Pro-Chancellors. Vice-Chancellors should ensure that staff who resume for work are provided with the enabling environment for academic and allied activities.
Though the order said any academic staff who fails to resume on or before December 4, 2013, automatically ceases to be staff of the institution and vice-chancellors are also directed to advertise vacancies (internal and external) in their institutions. One wonders why the FUTO order comes a day to government’s deadline..
Meanwhile the Vice Chancellor of the University of Jos has also said the institution resumes Wednesday in-line with government’s directives but the ASUU leadership is not backing down, vows to continue strike.
