The on-going restructuring in state government-run tertiary institutions in Osun State may have claimed its first casualties, as about 141 members of Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) and Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) were sacked in two colleges of education on Friday.
It was learnt that the two affected institutions are the Osun State College of Education in Ila Orangun and the College of Education in Ilesa.
Sources said termination letters were brought from the State Ministry of Education on Friday for distribution to the affected staffers, but the leaders of ASUP and NASU directed their members not to collect them.
It was gathered that 37 academic and 34 non-academic staff were affected at College of Education, Ila.
It was learnt that 70 staff of the Osun State College of Education, Ilesa may have been disengaged but statistics of academic and non-academic staff at the college could not be ascertained at press time.
The Chairman of ASUP in Osun State College of Education, Ila, Comrade Segun Onifade, confirmed the distribution of sack letters, but said the union had instructed its members not to receive them.
In his reaction to the development, the State Chairman and Secretary of Council of Academic Staff Unions in Osun State Owned Tertiary Institutions (CASUOSTI), Comrade Lasisi Jimoh and Comrade Olusegun Lana, respectively, in a joint press statement, said “Letters of termination of appointment were issued to several members of staff in Osun State owned tertiary institutions today (Friday).
“This is coming just few hours after the Academic Staff Union notified the government of readiness to take any necessary action of last resort following the failure of government to address festering issues affecting members despite the unions’ several pleas and ultimatum.”
They said the union had directed members not to collect any letter while
congress holds soon to decide next line of action.
Effort to get official reaction on the matter proved abortive as several calls put to the Director, Bureau of Communication and Strategy, Office of the Governor, Mr Semiu Okanlawon, were not answered.
