Rasaq Ibrahim, Ado Ekiti
Some sacked workers of the Ekiti State University (EKSU), Ado-Ekiti have appealed to Governor Kayode Fayemi to intervene in their case and prevail on the institution to recall them.
The former workers, under the auspices of the 32 Concerned Laboratory Technologists, were among the over 900 workers of the university that were sacked on December 5, 2019 for alleged irregular appointment and certificate forgery.
In a Save Our Soul letter sent to the governor, the technologists said that Dr. Fayemi’s kind intervention would restore life and hope to them and their families as well as bridge the gap in EKSU students’ academic needs, which their exit had created.
They alleged that the institution “have concluded plans to place adverts requesting applications to replace us,” and appealed to Governor Fayemi to intervene by ensuring that their illegal disengagement is reversed.
The concerned technologists argued that the reason given for their disengagement was untrue, reiterating that they were employed in 2016 after having gone through the normal engagement process.
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This, they said, included applying for the position of technologists and attending oral and written tests after being shortlisted, followed by interview by a team headed by the then vice chancellor and receipt of letters titled: ‘Offer of permanent appointment,’ adding that their appointments were confirmed in 2018 and they enjoyed promotion in 2019.
They said: “Mr. Governor Sir, one finds it difficult to define the context of ‘irregular employment’ that they claimed we were recruited through after going through the norms of employment and offered permanent appointment. This is injustice meted out to us and other workers who were recruited in 2016.”
Speaking against the backdrop of a statement by the council that irregular workers recruited during that period were disengaged, the concerned workers appealed to the governor: “You may wish to conduct an independent verifiable investigation on this sir. All we plead for is equity, justice and fair play.”
Among others, they lamented that the “immediate and extended families of those disengaged will be in untold hardship and psychological pains, as we have been unjustifiably relieved of our jobs.”
The concerned workers, who dismissed the notion that 2016–2018 recruitments shot up the university monthly bill, advised the management to “take bold, clear and sincere step to crosscheck and stop forthwith” unnecessary allowances meant for some categories of workers, but being enjoyed by all, which contributed largely to the high wage bill of the university.
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